SAME SEX DANCE ACTIVISM

Heather has been involved in the same-sex dance scene for more than 35 years. Her first dance studio,

co-owned with Glenn Wright, opened its doors to same-sex dancers in the late 1980’s. It was the very first studio in the UK to do so.

​

In 1993 she started and developed the women only ballroom and Latin dance scene in London, Waltzing with Hilda’s (which continued operating for 25 years)

​

She also helped spearhead the change of discriminatory regulations within the ISTD dance examination system. Entering, in the early 1990’s, the first all male couple in an ISTD medal examination. Going on to enter many students who danced an opposite role in examinations. They competed in ISTD Medal competitions and also Grand Finals in Blackpool.

 

 

 

 

 

​

She was a founding member of the UKSSDC, in 2006, now known as the UKEDC, (United Kingdom Equality Dance Council) and remained on the board until she emigrated in 2015. She also served, simultaneously on the ESSDA board (European Same Sex Dance Council) and has been involved internationally since 2007.

Heather co-owned a studio in Central London, with her wife Hadass Armon, for fourteen years, which was predominately a LGBTQ venue. As well as training social dancers, medallists and same sex competitors Heather and Hadass coached, for many years, the first all male Showdance team Guyz in Sync, who won several European and Outgames titles and also were semi-finalists in the ITV programme ‘Got To Dance’. This was the first time the public had witnessed same sex dancing by all male couples, it was aired live on Saturday evening, prime time TV.

In 2019, she was invited to attend a UN Conference in Sarajevo, to discuss her work as an Activist in the dance world