2019-06-01+Woman+and+Home

ChristinaMulvihill’spassionfor
ballroomwasreignitedwhenshewas
maderedundantthreeyearsagoat
60.nowshedancesfourtimesa week
withmrwonderfuldancing.comand
workspart-timeinartconservation.
Christinahastwogrown-upsonsand
livesinlondonwithherhusband.
“I’vedancedeversinceI waslittle– I
startedwithballetandworkedharduntil
I gota teachingqualification.I thought
ballroomdancingwas
fabulousbutin mymother’s
eyesit wastacky,soit
wasn’tuntilmytwenties
thatI hada chancetotryit.
I workedat theBBC,
whereyoucouldtake
partin activities.Ballroom
classeswereheldat The
LanghamhotelandassoonasI tookmy
firstspinaroundthefloorI washooked.
Astheweekswenton,I knewI’dfound
mypassion.I enteredcompetitions,and
medalsandtrophiesstartedbuildingup
onmymantelpiece,butbeforelongI was
a marriedworkingmumand there was
notimeforballroom.
Threeyearsago,redundancyturned
mylifeupsidedown.Myhusband,
childrenandfriendswereallworkingand
I felt lost and alone. I needed a focus, so I

‘They call me the queen of spin!’

‘i can’texpress

how wonderful

it feelsto

dance again’

pluckedupthecouragetovisita localtea

dance.TheminuteI enteredthehall,any

nervesI haddisappeared.WhenI was

dancing,I noticedI wasoutofbreath,but

it wasamazinghowquicklyit allcame

backtome– everystep,twirlandsway.

Nowtheteadanceworldis myworld

• I gotoasmanyteadancesasI canfit
  aroundwork,usuallyat leastfourtimes
  a week.I’verediscoveredmywaistand
  have a collectionofgorgeousdresses.
  Ballroomis mentally
  andphysicallydemanding


• youhavetoremember
  theroutines,maintainyour
  posture,holdyourhead
  out,flexyourknees,and
  moveandspinsofast.The
  foxtrotmakesyoufeellike
  you’reflying.WhenI dance
  therumba,mypartnerspinsmesixtimes,
  soI’mknownasthequeenofspin.
  Dancingis social,too,soit’shuge
  fun.I’mtheyoungestontheteadance
  circuitbuttherearepeoplein their
  eightieswhoseemyearsyounger.We
  allmeetupatvariousvenuesandit’s
  likebelongingtoa club.I can’texpress
  howwonderfulit feelstodanceagain–
  it hasgivenmebacksomuchconfidence.
  If anyoneis thinkingaboutdancing,
  take the leap. You won’t regret it!” >>

in our experience

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