Our Team.
Meet the team behind C&G Line Dance! Find out a little more about your instructor and those that help out at classes and event plus behind the scenes. You will also find info on how we all first started and what we enjoy most about line dancing! Take a look!
Hello and welcome to the team!
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I'm Gary one of the original founders and instructor for C&G Line Dance!
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It all started back in 2000. I used to attend stage school and in the summer holidays' they used to run a summer school where one of the classes we got to try was line dance. I never knew anything about it so wasn't sure what to expect. I stood at the back of the class (I know I tell you not to if you're new lol) and I can honestly say from the first dance I was hooked.
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I attended my local class JD's Line Dance where I was made to feel welcomed as soon as I walked in. I had no clue what I was doing, but I soon learnt the dances from my instructors Charles and Jan. ​From then I found more classes to attend to the point I was dancing 5 nights a week with 4 different instructors, each having different styles of teaching.
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3 years on I then choreographed my very first dance and I brought it to one of my instructors and they offered for me to teach it myself. Needless to say I was nervous, but I also grew up knowing the people in the class. They became family!
​My instructor, Hillary guided me and trained me in the art of instructing and DJing at classes, to the point I became part of the team and stayed for 17 years. In between I branched off and ran some of my own classes before C&G.
​I became a fully qualified instructor back in 2017 with the BWDA and am now working on becoming qualified through ELDA, to which I'm also a member!
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Line dancing has brought me so much joy and opportunities that I never thought would happen. I have met so many wonderful people around the world through line dance and have become great friends with some of them that I consider them family!
​Through line dance I have been in some shows in theatre, have appeared on TV and have even worked on a film! I've also got to zip wire of a mountain for the Line Dance Foundation. ​As well as teaching I also DJ my own events and have DJ'd various other events including at the Crystal Boot Awards (Oscars of Line Dance).
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Over the years I have been told by many people how line dance has saved their lives and they wouldn't know what they'd be doing if they didn't attend class. There are so many benefits to line dance - physical activity/fitness, helps with mental health, helps improve memory and so much more!
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Line dance has evolved passed misconceptions - it's not all country and we don't all wear stetsons and boots. We dance to an eclectic variety of music and have so many dances at our disposal to cover all levels!
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Come along and join us! You will enjoy it!
Hi my name is Maria and I'm from the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. I started line dancing 28 years ago after a friend of mine mentioned about going to a line dance class so I tagged along as I always wanted to give it a go and since that day I've been hooked.
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18 years ago I started running my own social club with my husband and two friends for 10 years with live bands, which created a great social life and made many friends from this. We took over the club because it was going to close and so we were able to keep it running for another 11 years. Sadly running costs became expensive and 9 years ago we had to close our doors.
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Didn't think I would dance again until another friend of mine started going to C&G and, once again, the love of dance came flooding back.
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I've made new friends and also attend C&G socials and I love it! I find Gary a great teacher to follow and love helping the beginners whenever I can.
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I will be attending more socials when I can and look forward to the weekend events!
Hi my name is Paula (Lola, Pepper). I live in Larkfield, Kent and have been attending C&G Line Dance since November 2021.
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Having developed hypothyroidism and type 2 diabetes through pregnancy - alongside a massive weight gain some years prior - I had struggled to find a suitable and successful way to exercise. I not only needed motivation and encouragement, but also a type of exercise that I actually enjoyed doing.
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C&G Line Dance was not only a game changer but a genuine life saver too! I am now fit, healthy and extremely happy and I have dropped several clothe sizes into the bargain!
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Line dancing is a fantastic and fun way to exercise, it's cardiovascular - a proper workout that you don't even realise you're doing! How great is that?!
It is incredibly addictive - so much so that I now attend 4 classes a week and I absolutely love it!
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I definitely favour the more modern, funky line dances and Gary certainly accommodates for all types of dances within his eclectic catalogue to suit all.
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I now have a busy social life, where I attend all of C&G social events. These include live singers along with DJ Gary making every social night, afternoon or weekender a truly memorable occasion.
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I love meeting people and have become extremely fond of my C&G line dance family. They are a key part of my life now and that will never change - this is a life long commitment for me and it's so enriching.
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I enjoy promoting C&G Line Dance and encouraging people like myself to learn to line dance - I am proud to say I am now part of the team!
Hi, I'm Christine (Chris) and I joined C&G Line Dance in October 2022 when a friend dragged me along and I was really nervous and unsure about it, but found that I absolutely love it!
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I started with one class a week and now attend as many as I can fit in, working through the different levels of class.
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It's been the absolute best thing I have ever done, both for my fitness and mental health. I've made some really great friends and consider them all to be my line dance family.
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I love the classes and the socials that we have throughout the year and we even have dance weekends away, which are exciting to look forward to. Honestly the good times never stop!
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I eventually started to help out and joined the team. Firstly I started helping on the door and greeting all the dancers as they arrived, plus it's a great way to get to know everyone and have a quick catch up! You will always see me with a friendly smile on my face.
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If you're new to the class, mainly East Malling classes, I am usually the one that takes you into the small hall to walk through some steps with you so you don't feel overwhelmed or nervous when joining the main class!
Hi my name is Paula and I live in St Mary's Platt in Kent. I started line dancing around 28 years ago. I joined my local class with two left feet, not knowing my left from my right and it wasn't long before I was doing more than one class a week.
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Line dancing is all about having fun, the enjoyment you have and friendships you make. I have made many new friends and the exercise is a bonus.
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I look forward to our themed socials throughout the year, with the option to dress up and the afternoon tea and cake event. I love cake!
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Also, I look forward to our weekends away with friends line dancing at the seaside, going to the workshops in the morning to learn new dances, spending the afternoon shopping and dancing until the very early hours of the morning.
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My line dance family means the world to me, there is so much support and they have got me through some tough times.
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As part of the team I create the promotional posters and flyers for the events and help with the beginners class at Platt as well as at the socials!
