BILL & BOBBIE IRVINE - Dance Lessons

This video is another tribute to Bill & Bobbie Irvine. Bill Irvine, MBE, passed away in earlier this year (2008) at the ago of 82 years. Bill's wife, Bobbie Irvine, MBE, had passed away in '94, at the age of 71.

Bill began a career as a butcher's assistant in Scotland, but all he wanted to do was dance. He became known for practicing his Waltz, Quickstep and Foxtrot behind his delivery van, drawn by a horse called Doodles. Unable to find the right partner in England, he met Bobbie in Johannesburg. At the time, she was dancing with Vernon Ballantyne and he was partnered with Aida Kruger. Bobbie and Vernon defeated Bill and Aida at the 1955 South African Championship. Both couples were selected to compete in London. After both were defeated by others, Kruger and Ballantyne retired, throwing Bill and Bobbie together. They married in 1957.

They won their first World Championship title in Berlin in 1960, then won their first British Championship two years later, after the reigning champs Harry Smith-Hampshire and Doreen Casey retired. But four days later, they were beaten by Bob Burgess and Doreen Freeman at another event. They fought back and established themselves as the greatest competitive couple in history, winning three world titles in Latin as well as many in Standard. Between 1960 and 1968, the Irvines won 13 world titles. They won both the Standard and Latin Championships in 1966, a feat unequaled by any other couple before or since. Then they did it again in 1968 in a single day, setting a Guinness Record.

They were jointly awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE) award in 1967 for their services to dancing. Until 1992 Bill was the Chair of the Ballroom Branch Committee. He retired as chair of the British Open Adjudicators in 2001, after 23 years of service. Both Bobbie and Bill were troubled by the new developments in technique, with style and subtlety being threatened by speed and drama. They were also concerned at how Latin dances were becoming indistinguishable from each other except by music.

Next time you're on the dance floor, take a moment to reflect on the legacy of Bill and Bobbie Irvine, and what they gave to this wonderful sport through passion, style, and commitment to flawless technique.

(the above text is originally written by George Pytlik, from Richmond, UK)

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Bill-Irvine
• Bobby-Irvine
• Dance
• lesson
• Ballroom
• Standard
• Modern
• Strictly-come-dancing
• dancing-with-the-stars
• mira-quien-baila
• Germany
• South-Africa

[georgewu5]

Now Bill and Bobbie are long gone, but their beautiful teachings we could still see from Marcus and Karen Hilton. Thank you.---dancewu(dot)net

[bmwsitgez]

You are welcome, it's my pleasure! By the way, I still need to put something regarding dance lessons on youtube. Still have a recording of a German program of 1985 which also shows some 'tricks' to improve Ballroom dancing. Cheers!

[DonBalzini]

Can't belive in it... O.O

Wow!!!!!

[Purzelwurz]

If teaching reaches also an entertaining level - this is what a teacher seperates from a brilliant idol...! Fantastic!

[slam5]

Dancing style may had changed with time but the technique stays the same. IMO, good technique = good dancing. Fancy steps w/o good technique = ugly dancing. A lot of people don't think that way nowadays!

[gshankaran]

sheer genius! Truly great masters of their art!

[dancinmark]

Wow! Amazing!

[georgewu5]

b: I just subscribed your post so that when the other program of 1985 coming up, I will know when to watch it.---dancewu(dot)net

[georgewu5]

"There was an instructor in Vancouver used a piece of paper between the hips of the students while dancing" Years ago I heard of that comment. Now I know where that instructor learned it from--- Bill Irvine! If the Chinese dancers ever wanted to be the world champions, they have to do what Marcus and Karen Hilton (Irvine's student)already went through!---There is no substitute for the correct methods and years of hard work!---dancewu(dot)net