Jack Dance
Sometimes it’s the quiet ones who catch your eye in life; no noise or drama, just a case of keeping their head down and working hard. It’s a formula which in the past has produced some great off-road riders – a certain Graham Jarvis springs to mind, we think you will agree. It also brings a certain Jack Dance to mind. A calm head on strong shoulders at a very young age, over the last couple of years his name has been appearing at the top of the results sheets at many events as he comes through the various youth championship classes. Despite his reserved nature, he is always happy to share the joke; there’s much more to ‘Jack the Lad’, as you are about to find out.
Jack Dance 2019 ACU Youth A-Class British Champion — Well done!
Thank you, it seems like years ago now, but I was more than happy to take the title at the end of the year. I knew that winning the first round would be good psychologically; the other riders would know I meant business. Fair dues to Reece as he came fighting back to win round two, but I was very hungry!
You then won the next three rounds.
I felt very strong and remained focussed on the goal for the season. One of the major factors was that I was enjoying my riding. As Reece came fighting back at the last two rounds, I was maybe trying too hard, and he certainly made me work for the title.
Tell us about the European Championship.
The 2019 European Championship was exciting to be part of. The venues were all new to me.
The first round is always a bit of a ‘who’s who trial’ as you’re unsure of how everyone’s training has been going over the winter months, but it soon settles down, and I was confident in my riding. It’s always like a military organisation getting ready to go abroad; we all play a part in getting ready, and we are lucky living in the south, not far from the crossing, so that’s a bonus. I enjoy the setup of the Europeans, everyone’s welcoming, and it’s a great stepping stone for the World Championship stage.
So 2019 was a good year.
It was a great year in trials for both me and my brother Max, both winning our respective classes in the ACU British Championship! I also won the YMSA A Class Championship together with taking the win at the final European round in the Czech Republic, securing second place overall in the European Championship class; this was my best and proudest moment to date.
In 2020 you decided to remain on the Gas Gas. Why?
In my opinion, it’s the best machine for the job. The 125cc Gas Gas comes from John Shirt Motorcycles. I had other options at the end of 2019, but in my mind, I was very happy with the Gas Gas and the support from John and his staff. Along with the Gas Gas comes the superb product support from the many sponsors of the John Shirt Motorcycles team, for which I am very grateful.
John Shirt has been around a while
What price can you put on his knowledge and experience? My decision to stay on the Gas Gas and, as part of his team, was certainly based around John’s knowledge and support. At a young age, it’s very difficult to know if what you are doing is correct. I know that when John
explains something, he knows exactly what he is talking about, and it’s not just riding the machine but also in the preparation before the events. At my first 2020 ACU British Championship round with the adults at Hookwoods he came and spoke with me before I started and told me just to enjoy myself – it was all I needed to hear; the win was a bonus!
Is being part of a team important to you?
Yes. I am very fortunate that John has some very experienced riders on the team. As with John, they are more than happy to pass on their experience to me, which is so beneficial. It’s the same with the machine setup and preparation. His mechanic Kev ‘Factory’ Hipwell has so much knowledge and understanding of the Gas Gas machines that if you want to change or adjust something he will tell you exactly what needs doing. Having this support gives me extra confidence, knowing that I have the best people around me. In return, this allows me to concentrate on my riding.
Tell us a little about life in general.
My dad is a panel beater and car sprayer, and my mum works in a bank. I go to Steyning Grammar school, and I’m in year 10. My favourite lesson is engineering; I often make bits for my Gas Gas at school or on my lathe at home.
From a young age, my dad taught me how to work around a motorcycle and maintain and clean them, which I still do every week and enjoy. He, unfortunately, suffered a heart attack when I was only eight, then a few days later while at home recuperating he had a cardiac arrest. To cut a long story short, my mum saved my dad’s life by doing CPR on him till the paramedics arrived! It reshaped our lives to how we live today; I quickly learned how to keep my
Gas Gas in good order and keep riding.
We make the most of each day as you never know what’s around the corner. We travel most weekends together for training or trials, and I always do my machine preparation before a trial. I run to keep fit when I get in from school, and train on the Gas Gas as much as I can during the week at home with my brother.
What are the plans for the future?
First, I have to say how sad I am about the whole COVID-19 situation. In 2020, we had planned to do the FIM Trial 125 World Championship, but this has been put on hold. I am still keeping very much focussed on the future. I am hoping that maybe some rounds of the 2020 championships both at home and abroad can run, perhaps later in the year, so I am still practising as much as I can. It’s certainly going to be a long summer if we have no trials to compete in but then again if we all come away from the coronavirus fit and well you have to be grateful.
Where will Jack Dance be in two years?
At this moment in time, my thoughts are still on a future in motorcycle trials. I fully understand that it’s only a few riders who make the grade to go on and have a career in trials, and I want to be one of them. If I can continue to progress and achieve the results, I believe I can then maybe I can attract the interest of the manufacturers and secure a paid contract to follow the vision of being a professional athlete in motorcycle trials.
TEAM JACK DANCE
FULL NAME: Jack Adrian Dance
DATE OF BIRTH: 23/05/05
DAD: Adrian Dance
MUM: Nicky Jane Dance
BROTHER: Max Adrian Dance
PETS: four chickens
JACK DANCE FAVOURITES: DRINK: Cup of tea; FOOD: Steak and chips; COUNTRY: Spain and Italy equally; SCHOOL: Steyning Grammar School; FOOTBALL TEAM: Never liked football; ACTOR: David Jason; FILM: I prefer comedy sitcoms like Only Fools and Horses or Open All Hours; MUSIC/ ARTIST: Motown; CAR: A van but an Aston Martin DB9 would be nice; WORLD TRIALS RIDER: Adam Raga; BRITISH TRIALS RIDER: Michael Brown; SPORTING HERO: Steve Colley; SHOES: Five Tens; T-SHIRT: Mots.
JACK DANCE SPONSORS: John Shirt motorcycles; Trial Enduro Direct; Mots; S3; Michelin; Putoline; Renthal; Bognor MCC; Normandy MCC; YMSA trials; In Motion; Shear creations; Eden Utilities; Mum & Dad; Nan & Grandad. As a family, we are always grateful to our supporters and for ‘anonymous’
donations.