WELCOME TO OUR WEBSITE
We're thrilled to have you visit our site, and eager to share our knowledge and experience of the Line - Partner Dance community ....Steps (Line & Partner Dance Club)
At Steps we teach different line dances to all genres of music like Country, Top 50, Rock, Ballroom, Latin, Blues, Funky, Irish, Swing, Hip Hop and much more.
In addition to the Fun & Friendship there are a whole list of benefits that Steps can offer through it's classes. Improve Flexibility - Boost Memory - Reduce Stress - Better Balance - Help your Heart - Increase Energy -Loose Weight - Diminish Depression.
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OUR STORY
The club was founded in 1998 by two friends Chester and the late Val Tobin. Initially with Classes for Country Partner Dancers at Cooksbridge Nr Lewes. Line dance classes followed quickly at the Lewes YMCA and Christ Church Hall, Lewes. Val decided in 2007 she wanted to go it on her own with classes in Seaford.
This was a time of change. Partner dance classes continued at Iford with Chester being partnered firstly by his wife Angela and later by Jac Anthony. There were now two line dance classes Beginner/Improver at Christ Church and an Intermediate class at St Marys Hall Lewes. This continued for some time but was not an ideal situation with one Instructor covering all classes.
In 2010 Lesley expressed an interest in becoming an instructor, so there were two of us now, running the club again. Classes began at Woodingdean Community Centre & Ringmer Football Club.
After an evening with Keymer WI we decided to branch out into West Sussex so after searching for a venue we now had a base at Keymer, in West Sussex and Ringmer, in East Sussex.
Sharon joined the team to help Chester with the East Sussex classes, all going good and then Covid !
With the aid of WhatsApp and Daphne's large garden we managed to keep it touch and started dancing on the word GO. after adhering to the safety measures. Currently we hold classes at Ringmer, Barcombe & Uckfield in East Sussex. Keymer in West Sussex.
The club continues to grow and in addition to our weekly Line & Partner classes we hold regular Request night Socials, Sunday Dances with live music, Line Dance Weekends, Quiz evenings and other social events. Our display teams continue to support Children's Charities with their performances.
THE TEAM
I first started learning to dance at Tea Dances with my Mum, aged 4. 1943. Joined a tap dance troupe in my early teens and performed in Variety shows and several Pantomimes.
Along came Rock & Roll so jiving became the norm for quite awhile I was dancing socially and at competition level. Met my wife at a R & R dance at Crowborough in 1960. We were married when I left the Army 1963. Dancing took a back seat for some years whilst we raised our family and I ran a Venture Scout Unit in Lewes for 23 years.
In 1998 we decided to try Line Dancing at Seaford "Studio Tempo" During my training with the ISDT I was awarded Medal/Certificates to the highest level in both Line & Partner dance. In fact I did the Partner dance examinations twice. (with Angela & Val)​
Val & I were chosen to give a demonstration of Partner dancing at a ISTD workshop in London. It was at this point we decided to start the club and gained our BWDA teaching qualifications.
Chester Funnell.
Line & Partner Instructor
I started dancing aged 4yrs when my Mum enrolled me in a dance class for ballet, tap and drama. At 8yrs. I took up ballroom dancing and so my lifelong love of dancing had begun. I was introduced to line dancing by my daughter who had started dancing in 1996, a couple of years later I decided to try it and I've loved it ever since.
At beginning of 2010 Chester encouraged me to start teaching I qualified with the BWDA shortly after and have enjoyed encouraging others to share my love of line dancing ever since.
Lesley Orford
Line Instructor
Sharon Harris
I first started dancing at the age of 5 with Tap dancing classes. Soon followed by Disco, Rock & Roll, Ballroom & Latin classes. During this time I gained numerous medals & trophies. I had a break from dancing for around 20 years and started Line dancing about 10 years ago. I enjoyed it so much that I decided that I would like to teach and qualified as an Instructor with the BWDA and have been teaching for the past 4 years.