Dance legends doing it for the community

Eat your heart out Strictly - Torbay has its own ballroom stars in Dennis and Olympeas Samuel.
The king and queen of the dance floor have been raising money for years and helping people to keep fit healthy ­and have some fun at the same time.
Dennis, otherwise known as 'Dancing Dennis', used to race 'pigs' to raise money for local worthy causes. But now the focus is on regular dance classes he and wife Olympeas run throughout the Bay and South Devon.
He says: “In dancing very little has changed over the years, apart from the fact that many people have never returned to dancing after the Covid restrictions.”
This year the 'Dancing with Dennis' sessions have been raising money for the British Heart Foundation.
Dennis explains how they raise funds at the sessions.
He says: “We put up a large teddy bear as a prize.  Then we collect £1 (or £2 if the bear is extra-large) from everyone who then comes to the dance floor. 
“Using an American Silver Dollar, I toss the coin while everyone decides if they are a Heads person (They put their hands on their heads) or a Tails person (They put their hands on their bottom). 
“If they are right then they stay on the floor. If they are wrong then they leave. This continues till we have a winner who takes home the bear. This is lots of fun and a quick way to make an extra £50 or more for our charity.”
It means Dennis and Olympeas were able to present the British Heart Foundation with a £,3,000 donation when the dance club held its recent Christmas dinner-dance at the Livermead Cliff Hotel in Torquay.
Mark Hawkins, South West area manager, was there to receive the money on behalf of the BHF.
Dennis said: “My wife and I have been so pleased by the response to these charity donations and are thankful to our dancers for their support.
“Our next charity to benefit from the raffles etc, will be Torbay Mencap. We have already started the collection for this.”
So what about Strictly Come Dancing, watched by millions on TV?
Dennis gives it the quick step and says: “I have to admit that we do not watch Strictly. People who have had acting training should be able to learn a sequence of a dance but then again, they only dance for a minute and a half and then they are all puffed out.
“My people get up at eight and dance, non-stop till 10:30 or 11.
“Some do this three or four times a week. Just for fun.”
He reveals: “Going back a long way, I used to work at the BBC TV and did some time working on Come Dancing where real people dance. In those days it was things like ‘The Peggy Spencer Formation Team’ with the local postman dancing with a lady from the library, etc.
“I have nothing against it but it is show dancing. If I practised for up to 12 hours a day, for five or six days then I could do that but would I enjoy it as much?
“Strictly has not made any difference to our people although I know that some do watch it but do they have a much fun as we do? Probably not. Also, although there are not a lot of youngsters coming into ballroom and social dancing, those who do have the staying power.
“Tonight we didn’t have a dance class so we went to a dance run by John Westlake and there were some dancers in their 90s. Will the Strictly crowd be doing that when they are that old?”
Dennis says he was also lucky to have a mentor for being a dance host.
He reveals: “The great, late Sid Gateley was a good friend and, from time to time, asked me to stand in for him. We still welcome his wife, Ross Gateley, to our dances.
“We have been doing this since January, 2018. We took over after Sid Gateley passed away. You will recall that he was also a dance host as well as having been a dance band leader.
“We also worked with Jim Fursdon at his Candlelight Dancing.
“Back before Covid, Olympeas and I went on cruises with Royal Caribbean Cruises and taught dancing on the ships - and always did very well.”
The couple now hold regular bi-weekly dances at The Livermead Cliff every other Tuesday evening. At the dances they provide the music for guests to dance ballroom and social dancing.
“Sequence dancing, Latin dancing, rock and roll, line dancing and barn dancing as well as naked, table top pole dancing (I bet that got your attention) – no, not really the last one... but I always live in hope,” jokes Dennis.
Other events include a weekend dance at The Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish Warren in January and October.
They also host dances in Plympton in Plymouth once a month as well as running a dance class every Thursday night in the Milber area of Newton Abbot.
These are held in St Luke's Church Hall, Laburnham Road, where they teach by 'fun and repetition'.
Dennis says: “We would welcome new dancers as well as those who already dance but want to improve their steps.”
He adds: “We have been doing this for over 25 years. Many dancers in the South West have been through our dance class at some time.”
They have just recently staged their annual Dance Class Christmas Party Dance. Next is a not-to-be missed New Year's Eve dance at the Richmond Lounge ballroom at the Victoria Hotel in Belgrave Road, Torquay.
And if that's not enough, the couple were asked to host recent afternoon tea dances at the Preston Conservative Club in Paignton.
Dennis says: “Ballroom dancing is highly recommended by doctors for people's good health and we try to provide for this. The emphasis is always on having fun as well as keeping fit. As you know, many doctors now recommend ballroom dancing being good for your health.”
If you want proof of that, take a look at Dennis and Olympeas. He is 77 and she is a 'wonderful' 81.
“Yes, I know, you thought she looked a lot older and I looked a lot younger. Please do not tell her I said that! She will kill me. (But what a way to go )”  quips Dennis. “Dancing is also good for a great sense of humour!”