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About Us |
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JULIE TOMKINS - Principal & Founder of Club Semly Dance Academy
Born in Ipswich, as a child, Julie attended the Olga Willmot School of Dancing completing all her examinations with the ISTD both as a Juvenile and a Junior, also enjoying a successful competitive career.
Julie turned professional at 16, where she would continue to teach for Olga, winning the ISTD Scholarship and Pierre Trophy and becoming a fellow at the age of 27.
With Partner Martin Cawston she was a British and UK Closed Finalist also winner of the ISTD 10 Dance Trophy. They also were the Dance Team on board the QE2 and represented their country overseas on several occasions.
She was appointed an examiner in 1995 and has since gone on to examine, lecture, adjudicate and teach all ages, and abilities both professional and amateur in the UK and abroad.
Based in London Julie is now Principal of Club Semley Dance Academy an extension of the world renowned Semley Ballroom.
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MATTHEW CUTLER
Matthew Cutler was born in Chelmsford, Essex. When he was four, his family moved to Southend on Sea, Essex, where he went to Earl Hall Primary School and Cecil Jones Secondary School, now Cecil Jones College. He started dancing classes in a church hall in Southend and took part in school competitions and other competitions in Chelmsford. By the age of ten, he was winning most competitions and a judge suggested that he entered more challenging competitions. Cutler took ballroom lessons in Birmingham and Latin classes in Hendon and took part in open competitions, supported by his parents. He won the World Amateur Championship with Nicole Cutler in 1999 and went on to win many other competitions:
Titles
Matthew has twice received the Carl Alan Award for an outstanding contribution to dance.
Professional
- Strictly Come Dancing champion (partnered with singer Alesha Dixon), 2007
- World, Open British, International and UK Professional Latin finalist, 2000 - 2005
- International Professional Latin finalist, 2004
- World and European Professional Latin finalist, 2005
- British Closed Professional Latin Champion, 2004
- UK Closed Professional Latin Champion, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005
- World Masters Professional Latin Champion, 2000
Amateur
- UK Open Amateur Champion 2000
- Open British Amateur Champions 1997, 1999
- World, European & International Amateur Champion 1999
- Closed British Amateur Champions 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999
- Closed UK Amateur Champions 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
- Dutch Open Amateur Latin Champions 1998, 1999
- South African Open Amateur Champions 1990, 1994
Strictly Come Dancing
In series 7 of Strictly Come Dancing, Matthew Cutler partners Martina Hingis.
In series 6 of Strictly Come Dancing, Matthew Cutler partnered Christine Bleakley. Matthew and Christine ended up fifth.
Matthew Cutler, who partnered Siobhan Hayes in Strictly Come Dancing series 3 has a strong record in dance competitions, but was unfortunately voted off in the first week.
In the fourth series of Strictly Come Dancing, Matthew Cutler partnered Carol Smillie. They got as far as the ninth show, but in spite of receiving their best scores of the series, they were voted off.
In the fifth series of Strictly Come Dancing, Matthew Cutler was paired with Alesha Dixon and they beat Matt Di Angelo and Flavia Cacace to take the Strictly Come Dancing title.
Random Fact: Len Goodman was a judge when Matthew Cutler won the British junior championship. |
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NICOLE CUTLER
Nicole Cutler is a professional Latin American dancer and former World Amateur Latin-American champion. She was born Nicole Westdyk in Durban, South Africa and after taking up ballet at the age of four, first tried out ballroom and Latin-American dancing at the age of twelve.
In South Africa she danced competitively with Andrew Magin and Warren Smith before moving to the UK in 1990. In 1994 she teamed up with British dancer Matthew Cutler. In 1999 they formed the principal couple in the stage show Burn the Floor.
Titles
Nicole has twice received the Carl Alan Award for "outstanding contributions to dance".
Professional
- All England Professional Champion 2004
- World, Open British, International and UK Professional Latin finalist, 2000 - 2003
- UK Closed Professional Latin Champion, 2000, 2002
- World Masters Professional Latin Champion, 2000
Amateur
- UK Open Amateur Champion 2000
- Open British Amateur Champions 1997, 1999
- World, European & International Amateur Champion 1999
- Closed British Amateur Champions 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999
- Closed UK Amateur Champions 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
- Dutch Open Amateur Latin Champions 1998, 1999
- South African Open Amateur Champions 1990, 1994
Strictly Come Dancing
In Strictly Come Dancing series 5, Nicole Cutler partnered John Barnes.
John improved through the series, but John and Nicole were eliminated in week 8 of Strictly Come Dancing 2007.
Nicole Cutler partnered Nicholas Owen in series 4 of Strictly Come Dancing. They were the first dancers to be voted off the series.
Nicolas Owen was full of praise for Nicole Cutler afterwards, saying: "This woman is an amazing dancer, as you all know. It's been the most amazing experience for me."
She has appeared as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing. In series two, she partnered Diarmuid Gavin. |
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