Heidi & Simon Cruwys

Heidi and Simon Cruwys have been dancing for over 30 years, they are established members of the UK dance community. Together, they have won the closed UK Professional Ballroom Championships in 1996 and in the same year were invited to South Africa to teach and lecture in dance. They are championship adjudicators and lecture for the ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing).

They launched their Dance Crazy School in 1995, having the full support of their parents Heather and John Cruwys.  Heidi and Simon have enjoyed success in both their teaching and their dancing careers. Simon and Heidi have a vast experience of dance gained over many years in both training and competing. They equally have a tremendous capacity for hard work which is a quality they like to inspire in their students. Over the years they have managed to create a formidable young team of dancers who regularly compete at national level and are a testament to the quality of teaching on offer here at Dance Crazy.

Simon

Simon began his dancing career at the age of six and began training for ISTD medals and was soon competing at both national and international levels. As an amateur in 1989 he moved to Finland to partner Tuula Raukovaara. They danced at the Telemark Club and trained with her parents Asko and Salme Raukovaara. On his return to the UK he continued dancing as an amateur dancing with his sister.

They were a formidable team, winning the closed UK Professional Ballroom Championships in 1996. In the same year, they travelled to South Africa to lecture and teach dance. In 1995, Simon’s won the coveted Phyllis Haylor Scholarship; a great honour for Simon, who is now involved in training other aspiring student teachers.

Simon is a busy Ballroom and Latin American Examiner and a member of the Latin American Faculty of ISTD. Simon’s involvement with the Imperial Society includes the development of the Latin American Technique. He is also a championship adjudicator, demonstrator and lecturer. Over the years Simon had developed an unrivalled ability to put all new students at their ease, having a keen sense of fun and empathy to the novice dancer. But he is equally skilled at getting the very best from his more established dancers with valuable technical advice including direction on performance techniques, developing original choreography, and general advice relevant both on and off the dance floor.

Simon continues to demonstrate since his retirement from competition in 1997 and recently said “Shows are still a big part of my life. The tension and the excitement is why it all started. I love the show, even more perhaps than the competing because the show is focused purely on dance and giving the best you can. It’s not about beating someone to win.”

Heidi

Heidi began dancing at the age of 5 and soon began to compete in local events. By the time she was 11 Heidi was chosen to represent England to compete in Paris. As a junior dance, Heidi was a regular finalist in the British Open to the World Championships and also represented the British Team, an achievement that Heidi’s very own dance students continue to make years later.

Heidi wins the British National Championships at 15, continuing as a youth and amateur dancer to represent England in World and European Championships. Heidi’s collaboration with her brother Simon, brought them the UK Professional Ballroom Championships in 1996. In 2007, Heidi was invited by the BBC to comment on the ‘Fab Four’ adjudicators from the successful TV show ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.

Her decision to retire from competition dancing in 1997 was by no means the end of her dancing career as she was by now, with the help of her brother Simon, running a successful dance school in Bournemouth. The students at Dance Crazy are proud to be working with Heidi, through her vast knowledge of dance and performance; Heidi always gets the very best from each dancer. “There is a constant buzz at the school, laughter and learning going hand in hand. There is complete family involvement which also adds to the atmosphere, giving warmth the only way a family can". We asked Heidi what it was she liked about teaching. “It’s the pupils’ enjoyment, enthusiasm and achievement".