Meet the Team
Tracie Gooch UKA Qualified
My Mum loves dancing and regularly went waltzing and jitterbugging in the war. So from the age of 3 my Mum took me to ballet classes, then at 8 introduced me to my formal dance training in Ballroom and Latin dancing, where I stayed to complete all my medals as well as competing all around the country. Without a male dance partner, I couldn't compete seriously, so I took a break for 11 years, and returned to assist in teaching both children and adults until I moved to Southampton in 1994.
I love all types of dancing, from Aerobacise to Tap, and just before I moved down to Southampton from Hertfordshire, my aerobics instructor took me to my first Salsa club in London in 1993 with Elder Sanchez (one of the first Salsa teachers in the UK) ..... and then my passion for dancing took on a new level and I have never looked back!
Having moved to find a very limited Salsa scene in Southampton, I decided to teach Salsa on a Wednesday night to complement the existing club night run by Steve & Kathryn Tracey. Mish and I began teaching every Wednesday, in May 1996, at Bannisters Ballroom, Hulse Road (now a block of flats). Little did I know that my hobby would change my life and culminate in a buzzing friendly Salsa scene in Hampshire.
My personal wish is for children and adults to learn to dance (any style) and to experience the many benefits - as, in my opinion, if everyone danced, the world would be a much better place.
So try Salsa or Argentine Tango with us in Southampton & learn in a
fun and friendly environment at Tracie's Latin Club -
and I'm not biased at all !!
Beth Savage (Tango)
I love dancing and after joining Tracie's Salsa classes in 1996, I quickly became part of the friendly team,, In 1999 Tracie and I started learning Argentine Tango with Brian & Fiona Gale at Eastleigh and were mesmerised by this magical dance.
Since then I have concentrated on Tango and would encourage new people to come and enjoy this wonderful dance.
Bonita Drake (UKA Qualified)
I have enjoyed dancing all my life. As a child I took lessons in ballroom, Latin and disco dancing.
During a holiday in Miami in 2000 some
friends took me to a Latin club. There I saw salsa for
the first time and when I returned home I started salsa at Mambo City in London. In 2003, I moved to Southampton
to start university which is when I found Tracie’s
Latin Club.
In 2008 I graduated as a primary
school teacher from University College, Winchester and although I love teaching Salsa , my real buzz comes from teaching Salsa to children in the summer holidays at TLC.
Chris Gardner
Having first learnt Salsa in Reading, I came down to Southampton in 1999 as I heard Tracie was a good teacher and dancer. Being the cheeky scouser I am, I pushed my luck and asked Tracie could I teach with her!! Tracie called my bluff and while I thought "oh s**t" at the time, her thorough training has since paid off. I love the fun and energy I get from the classes I teach.
My proudest moment was when Heather saw
me teach for the first time in 2001.
I've been told my teaching style is "Passionate" with a bite and I have three rules of salsa:
1. FUN - It is all about having a good time, if not fun
why do it???
2. Passion & Expression - Interpretation of the music
and your dance.
3. Sex on the dance floor with your clothes on. - No explanation
needed.
Now for a little secret .... by day I'm
a computer salesperson and by night I rave or salsa.
Debbie Sherman (UKA Qualified)
I knew nothing about salsa until I attended one of Tracies classes in May 2003 and I became addicted from that moment on. I have always loved dancing but until then had only danced to RnB, disco heavy metal and rock n roll! Salsa has unleashed in me a whole new level of self expression and I love it. I was soon attending 3-4 nights weekly plus weekend events and travelling miles to get my salsa fix and still do. It was'nt long before I was helping out as an assistant and I told Tracie it was my ambition to become one of the TLC team. In 2005 that ambition was fulfilled.
Helping people to develop the salsa dancer within them fills me with great joy, and its just such great fun. I hope to continue to do so for many years to come.
Elaine Cullen
When I moved to Southampton
in 1998 I didn’t know anyone apart from the people
I worked with, one of which was Tracie. After many attempts
to get me to her salsa classes (thanks for persevering
Tracie) I was addicted straight away (as most of us are) and loved
every minute of it. Now I'm the door manager/bouncer(!) at Caliente fortnightly
on Fridays.
Salsa has opened up a world of fun, new friends and good
times for me, it’s a great way to keep fit and it’s
something you can do on your own (a lot of people come
on their own). My tips: listen to good salsa music outside
of the classes, practice the basic steps and dance as
often as you can, relax (very important) and enjoy. Someone
once said to me during a dance “I can see your soul
smiling” …….need I say more!
Eduardo Bozzo (UKA Qualified - Tango)
A native of Buenos Aires, I have danced tango since 1995, teaching and performing
around Europe and Latin America including, but not limited to: International Festivals in Argentina, Costa
Rica, Greece and now the UK.
I joined TLC in July 2005 and am now established in Bournemouth and Bristol.
Isobel Howard (UKA Qualified)
Jo Freeborn (UKA Qualified)
I started dancing a long time ago with ballet as a small child and then much later in life took to Ballroom, Latin, Jive, Lindy Hop and rock and roll. After one night at Lindy, I met with some of the TLC team who took me to my first Salsa class with Tracie at the BTC Club in Southampton and I was HOOKED!
I have never looked back and subsequently became part of the team.
Julia Wigley (UKA Qualified)
Marcus Groves (UKA Qualified)
From a toddler, I have danced all my life, firstly as my father's rule was "Friday night is dance night", and secondly clubbing to RnB, Hip Hop and Jungle dancing until my early twenties. Then a bolt came from the blue, when a friend took me to Merchants in October 2000 and I was introduced to a new way of life ..... SALSA!!.
I met great people of all ages who were fit & agile while dancing so often & I became addicted. Soon I was travelling hundreds of miles to attend salsa clubs/classes throughout the UK, 4-6 times a week, sometimes to all night events & driving home the next morning in bright daylight (that's a killer).
In 2002 Tracie took me under her wing and tutored me to be a future salsa dance instructor for TLC, hence in January 2003, after having been educated to a brain aching degree, I have immense pleasure in instructing others in Salsa on Fridays at Caliente and on Tuesdays at Ford. I also perform with 2 Salsa groups: London's Manhattan Mambo and Oxford's Ignite Dance Company.
Olga Taylor (UKA Qualified)
I like to think of myself as an international being - I was born in Ghana but my great grandfather was Danish, my grandfather was German, (hence the name Olga), I went to school in Wales and I now live in England. My Ghanaian name is Nah shorme. Traditionally we are given two names, a Ghanaian name to be used at home and an international name to be used when abroad.
I have been dancing Salsa since 1996, and was one of Tracie's first pupils. I think Tracie has created a wonderful Salsa atmosphere in Southampton, (fun friendly and welcoming). I'm proud to be one of the team. If I had to give a Salsa tip I would say have fun, laugh at your mistakes and be patient, the basic steps and the timing are the hardest things to learn. Don't rush to learn 101 moves (slight exaggeration!) before mastering the basic rhythm.
What do I do when I'm not salsering? I'm a nurse and a reflexologist and my hobbies are dance (any style), Tai chi, and most sports that involve chasing a ball!
Pete Green
I first saw Tango at Tracie's ball in 2005 and I was blown away with the elegance and intricacy of the dance! I made it my goal to learn, to assist and then finally to teach this beautiful dance.
You'll see me on Wednesdays!
Sarah-Jane Leader
Tracie has been my
dance influence and mentor since we started dancing together
at the youthful ages of about 14 & 15! Together, we
shared the enthusiasm for all dance types long before TLC was born. Her hard work to realise
her dream to bring people together and enjoy the magic
of dance has made TLC what is is today - in my mind, the
'Salsa family of the South Coast'.
Salsa certainly has that special something; it's upbeat,
happy and a great way to keep fit and socialise. Salsa (& Tango) with
TLC has enhanced my life and thanks to Tracie and the
TLC team, it can enhance yours too. Once you've got the
bug, there's no going back.
You'll see me on the dance floor and on the door!
Stephen Phillips (UKA Qualified)
I've been dancing since 1996 when salsa really got going in Southampton. I was pretty useless in my first lesson, but really enjoyed myself: I loved the rhythm and energy of the music, the fact that I had actually asked a woman to dance who I didn't know (hi Georgie!) and I had a good laugh with my friends. Much later on I discovered I had hips and an upper-body that could move, so if you're a slow starter then don't worry!
Come along, don't take things too seriously, and love the music! See my website for more info on Salsa rhythms: http://scphillips.com/dance
Steve & Debbie Morrall (Tango)
Steve is a life-long musician who plays piano and bandoneon. He has a musician's understanding of tango music that is apparent in the way he dances and the way he teaches others to dance.
They teach salon tango as a form of improvised communication and self expression rather than a series of steps to execute on a dance floor. Their method will teach you how to dance tango with your heart and discover the true beauty of this wonderfully expressive, passionate and connected dance.
As well as teaching at TLC, they run Tango events and workshops at Bramshaw in the New Forest, including workshops, milongas and Debbie's homemade tango tea dances.
Their 'tango DNA' includes teaching from milonguero maestros Carlos Gavito and Ricardo Vidort
(sadly no longer with us), Gustavo Naveira, Kelly and Facundo Posadas and Mingo and Esther Pugliese