Blackpool History – Professional Ballroom

We will start with the Professional Ballroom Championship with records of previous winners of this championship going back to 1931, which was won that year by British couple, Mr M Stewart and Miss P Sykes of London. England had won this championship every year until a young and very energetic Australian couple of the late Alf Davies OAM & Julie Reaby took the Blackpool Dance Festival, and the world by storm. In 1954 they tied for first place with the reigning British Champion, Sonny Binnick of London, making Alf & Julie the first non British couple to become the champions (although being tied for first place) in the Professional Ballroom event. Alf & Julie returned again in 1955 to try and clench the title as their own but had to settle for the runners up position being beaten by their arch rivals Sonny Binnick & Sally Brock however, in 1956 came back again with the very famous Australian fighting spirit to win the Blackpool Dance Festival and British Open To The World Championship putting Australia well and truly on the world map for Ballroom Dancing and making Australia a force to be reckoned with.

The next finalists from Australia in the Professional Ballroom were Queenslanders, John & Wendy Thornton who placed 5^th in 1976 and 6th in 1977. John & Wendy were 3 times Australian Professional Ballroom Champions, 1973, 1977 & 1978, and also Australian Amateur Champions in 1972. They reached an amazing 3^rd place at the 1976 World Professional Ballroom Championship which were held in London, the winners of the World championship were Richard & Janet Gleave with runners up being Robin & Rita Short, both couple from the UK. In 1978, we see Greg Smith & Marion Alleyne (Welsh) who placed 5^th in their first year as Professionals and the following year, 1979, finishing an incredible 3^rd place. Greg & Marion are the second highest placing Australians in the history of the Professional Ballroom Championship at Blackpool. Greg & Marion also placed 3^rd at the World Professional Ballroom Championship in Germany, 1979 behind the two British representatives, Richard & Janet Gleave and Michael & Vicky Barr. Unfortunately, they terminated their partnership, Marion then went on to dance with her now husband Kenny Welsh, and feature in a further 6 British Professional Ballroom finals.

The 1980’s see’s Australia feature in many semi finals of this event with Alex & Julie Schembri, Doug & Sue Potter, Les & Julie Patchett and Glen Tierney & Anne-Marie Powell. All fantastic ambassadors for Australia at the time and, always strong contenders for the final. New Zealand was also present in the early 80’s with Doug Newton from Sydney partnered with Candy Lane from New Zealand.

In the 1990’s we do not have any records of any Australian couples being in the top 12 in this event however, in the year 2000 we see Donna Shingler with Alan who featured in the final from 2000-2004, and two other Australian couples making the semi final round with Grant Barratt-Thompson & Mary Patterson in 2007 & 2008 and Matthew Rooke & Anna Longmore in 2009 , 10, 11 & 12.

From 1956 right through to 2001, Alf & Julie had been the only non British couple to claim the Professional Ballroom Championship title until Augusto Schiavo from Italy teamed up with Lyn Marriner from the UK to claim the victory for Italy in 2002.

Here is a look at the Australasian dancers that have been very successful in the Professional Ballroom Championship over the years

CHAMPIONS

1954 – Alf Davies OAM & Julie Reaby
1956 – Alf Davies OAM & Julie Reaby (NSW)

RUNNERS UP

1953, 55, 57 & 58 – Alf Davies OAM & Julie Reaby (NSW)

3RD PLACE

1979 – Greg Smith & Marion Alleyne (NSW)

5TH PLACE

1952 – Alf Davies OAM & Julie Reaby (NSW)
1976 – John & Wendy Thornton (QLD)
1978 – Greg Smith & Marion Alleyne (NSW)
2004 – Alan & Donna Shingler (UK)

6TH PLACE

1977 – John & Wendy Thornton (QLD)
2003 – Alan & Donna Shingler (UK)

7TH PLACE

1975 – John & Wendy Thornton (QLD)
1977 – Kerry Wilson & Ann Harding (NSW)
2000 – Alan & Donna Shingler (UK)
2002 – Alan & Donna Shingler (UK)

SEMI FINAL

1974 – John & Wendy Thornton (QLD)
1978, 79, 80 & 81 – Les & Julie Patchett (VIC)
1980, 81, 82, 83 & 84 – Alex & Julie Schembri (NSW)
1982 – Doug Newton & Candy Lane (NZ)
1986 – Glen Tierney & Anne-Marie Powell (UK)
1999 & 2001 – Alan & Donna Shingler (UK)
2007 & 2008 Grant Barratt-Thompson & Mary Patterson (NSW)
2009, 10, 11 & 12 – Matthew Rooke & Anna Longmore (VIC)

QAURTER FINAL (TOP 24)

1965 – Ray & Margaret Reeve (NSW) 15th place
1968 – Neil & Jenny Rosenfeld (VIC)
2013 – Matthew Rooke & Jelena Samuilova (VIC) 14th place
2017 – Richard Tonizzo & Claire Hansen (Canada)
2017 – Steven Grinbergs & Rachelle Plaass (NSW)