About Us
Welcome to the Welsh Professional Dance Teachers of the UKA website. We are an organisation who promote dance for the benefit of UKA Qualified Dance Teachers and their school members in Wales. A copy of our constitution can be found on the following link. Welsh Professional Dance Teachers of the UKA Constitution July 2020
Please contact the secretary for the password (Members of the WPDT of the UKA only)
Meet the Executive Committee
Julie Williams
President
Julie is a Fellow & Examiner of the UKA in all the Ballroom branches and holds a Fellowship Latin & Licentiate Ballroom with the ISTD. She is a Championship Adjudicator and Qualified Scrutineer and has been privileged to adjudicate all over the country and Ireland. Julie feels very proud that she has been invited to adjudicate at the Blackpool Classical Championships on numerous occasions.
With her husband Michael, Julie established the Dance Kingdom, Llanelli in 1985, enjoying all aspects of dance from social dancers & children through to Welsh and International Champions. Whilst training others Michael & Julie also competed in Ballroom as professionals, training with world famous coaches such as Peggy Spencer MBE, Bob Burgess & Elizabeth Romaine and for a number of years successfully competing in Inventive Dance competitions. Most recently, Julie & Michael were very proud to have won the BDC inventive on-line inventive dance competition in 2020 with their Paso Mijas. They also represented Great Britain at the International Dance of the Year competition with their Scola Swing ( known locally as the OLE dance).
Julie has served as a committee member since 1985, and, served as Chairman for 3 years and is now Treasurer. She organizes on behalf of the committee the Welsh Border Counties Championships (Ballroom & Latin ), the Welsh Border Counties Solo Championships (Ballroom, Latin & Classical ) and the Welsh Freestyle & Street Medallist Competitions and, is very keen to get younger members to join our group so that we may continue to develop dancing in Wales.
Gareth Jarvis
Vice Chairman
They danced competitively in their youth, reaching international championship standard. They represented their country on several occasions and appeared on a number of television programmes.
Over the past 30 years they have concentrated on teaching all the ballroom dance disciplines; running numerous beginners, improvers and advanced classes and providing private tuition to pupils of all ages and abilities.
They are fully committed to their profession and endeavour to make each session fun, whilst sharing their considerable skills with their pupils, providing encouragement and at the same time building friendships.
They organise and host social events and dance weekends, to encourage pupils to practice their steps and to socialise in a relaxed friendly environment.
During recent years Gareth and Andrea have also provided their services to the cruise industry, combining their love of dance with their enjoyment of the cruise experience.
They run classes at various venues throughout South Wales and in addition they are employed by the local authority to run a range of classes at the prestigious “Grand Pavilion” Porthcawl.
Andrea Jarvis
Secretary
Gareth and Andrea Jarvis are highly qualified professional Ballroom and Latin American dance teachers and championship adjudicators.
They danced competitively in their youth, reaching international championship standard. They represented their country on several occasions and appeared on a number of television programmes.
Over the past 30 years they have concentrated on teaching all the ballroom dance disciplines; running numerous beginners, improvers and advanced classes and providing private tuition to pupils of all ages and abilities.
They are fully committed to their profession and endeavour to make each session fun, whilst sharing their considerable skills with their pupils, providing encouragement and at the same time building friendships.
They organise and host social events and dance weekends, to encourage pupils to practice their steps and to socialise in a relaxed friendly environment.
During recent years Gareth and Andrea have also provided their services to the cruise industry, combining their love of dance with their enjoyment of the cruise experience.
They run classes at various venues throughout South Wales and in addition they are employed by the local authority to run a range of classes at the prestigious “Grand Pavilion” Porthcawl.
Phillip Evans
Treasurer
Phillip is a Former Ballroom and Latin Competitor for Wales as an Amateur & professional with his wife Gaynor and are former UK Closed Professional 10 dance Finalists. They are former Welsh National Amateur Ballroom & Latin Champions, British Amateur Modern & Latin Sequence Finalists, Welsh World & European Amateur Championship representatives.
Phillip now teaches Ballroom, Latin, Classical & Modern/ Latin Sequence at the Dance Kingdom in Llanelli alongside his childhood mentors. Phillip also runs regular Tea Dances at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea and promotes various competitions throughout Wales & England.
Phillip holds the following UKA qualifications, Ballroom (Licentiate), Latin (Licentiate), Rock n Roll (Associate) and is also a Licensed BDC Qualified scruitineer & BDC Championship Adjudicator.