Des Scott-Sawyer, a British dance instructor, is introducing Ceroc, modern jive, to Dubaians
“I got interested in dance through a girl I met at a party in Fulham in 1995,” says Des Scott-Sawyer.
For the London IT professional, it was the start of a beautiful relationship.
He had never danced with a partner, but she told him she did Ceroc and he started going to lessons with her.
“Later, when she did not want to go every week I realised I was more interested in dance than in her. I went on to study salsa and swing and won a few national championships.”
“ Ceroc is about freedom of expression,” says Scott-Sawyer.
Ceroc , an abbreviation of C’est le Roc, was developed 25 years ago from French jive, he explains.
“With Ceroc there is no need to dress up and you can do it to any type of music. You just need a beat.”
Now Scott-Sawyer is determined to take this dance from the UK – where clubs already attract over 300,000 dancers – to the world.
“I am the first international franchiser for Ceroc,” he says.
He came to Dubai in March 2002 on holiday with his mother and sisters.
“Everything about the place appealed to me. I was hooked immediately. I stayed on after my family left.”
For two-and-a-half years he moved back and forth between London and Dubai. Six months ago he finally moved here definitively.
“My mother complains that I am not doing a job in a suit,” he says. He worked as IT consultant in the UK, and also gave dancing lessons.
“But I came to Dubai to concentrate on dance. I now teach three classes a week.”
Outside UK, he finds himself explaining what Ceroc is – although some of his students go to nightclubs and practise, which helps spread the message.
Wherever you do it, Ceroc always attracts attention, he says.
For details browse www.cerocdubai.com
