Dancing On The High Seas
Strictly fans Jo and Nigel took a cruise and found themselves being invited to apply for a job…
We started dancing together about 12 years ago,” explains Nigel (56). “We loved watching the first series of Strictly so much, I suggested to Jo that we go to ballroom dancing classes.” She leapt at the chance! “I danced competitively when I was younger,” reveals Jo, who works with children with special needs. “I started ballroom dancing when I was four, with dancing legend Peggy Spencer, star of Come Dancing.
“Dancing with Peggy was a very serious business. When I was 14, I vowed I’d never dance in a competition again as getting your hair tied back hurts – and I used to cry if I made a mistake!”
Nigel, a road worker, also danced as a child, but gave up after only three weeks! “I discovered football and that was the end of my ballroom dancing lessons,” he laughs.
Nigel and Jo have been together for 20 years, married for four and have six children and seven grandchildren between them. They began their dance partnership by learning how to cha-cha, foxtrot and waltz together.
“It was lovely to be back dancing again, especially when Nigel turned out to be surprisingly good,” says Jo.
In fact, Nigel was such a good dance partner, Jo agreed to enter a ballroom dancing competition. “Unlike the 90 seconds a Strictly routine takes, at a competition you usually do four dances in 12 minutes,” says Jo. “We did almost everything wrong but we had fun – and I didn’t cry!”
The couple looked for holidays where they could take to the dance floor.
“Two years ago, we went on a Fred. Olsen cruise to the Norwegian fjords – the scenery was the main attraction but the fact there was dancing on board sealed the deal,” reveals Nigel.
Dancing is popular on board many cruise ships. A number feature dedicated dance hosts who spend their holiday teaching passengers, dancing with passengers who don’t have a dance partner and doing exhibition ballroom per formances.
“We spent so much time on the dance floor, the dance hosts on our cruise soon got to know us and suggested we apply to be dance hosts ourselves,” says Jo.
“When we returned home to Birmingham, I wrote to Fred. Olsen and we received an application form from the agency which supplies their dance hosts, Dance Afloat. We had to pass a tough but friendly audition, then went on our first cruise as Fred. Olsen dance hosts in March.
“We opted for the shortest cruise possible – a five-night trip to Amsterdam and Antwerp – as we had to check we were cut out for it!”
Jo and Nigel recently completed their second Fred. Olsen cruise, dancing their way around the coast of Scotland. “We can only do a couple of trips a year as we both work full-time and have to use our holidays,” explains Nigel. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to do this all the time when we retire.”
Jo explains that, when the ship is at sea, they hold dance lessons in the show lounge throughout the day.
“When the ship is in a port, we help out with onshore trips or take advantage of the chance to see somewhere new,” continues Jo.
“Every evening, we host dancing in the show lounge before, during and after the fabulous per formances by the entertainment team.”
Nigel explains that spotting people who are keen to dance but too shy to ask someone is one of a dance host’s most important duties. “Often, they’ve not danced for a long time, perhaps since their husband died, but the steps soon come back to them and they quickly rediscover their love of dancing,” he says.
“On formal evenings such as the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party, everyone gets dressed up so we wear our sparkliest ballroom outfits and take to the floor for a few numbers. At the end of every evening, we go to the Lido Bar and dance the night away at the disco.
“We love being dance hosts. Living the Strictly dream on board a luxurious cruise ship truly is a dream come true.”
For more about Fred. Olsen cruises, visit WWW.FREDOLSENCRUISES.COM.