Strictly dance floor

Vet David Chamberlain is Guernsey's lord of the dance. He and his partner, Natasha Axworthy, wowed the crowd and the judges at this year's Martel Maides Dancefloor Challenge. Gemma Hockey reports. Pictures by Daniel Guerin SHOES shone, sequins sparkled and the audience were poised on their edge of their seats: it was time for the Dancefloor Challenge 2007 to begin.

As the lights went up on Saturday night, one couple after another of this year's twinkle-toed competitors took to the floor at Beau Sejour to flaunt their fancy footwork.

And what a show they gave, offering a mix of Latin American and ballroom dancing.

But there was one couple who stole the show. More accustomed to spending his days with nature's furry friends, Isabelle Vets director David Chamberlain proved a natural and, together with dance partner Natasha Axworthy, waltzed away with the top prize.

The winner was still coming to terms with his success when I caught up with him.

'What a journey it has been. When you start something like this you don't quite know where it's going to take you,' said the 42-year-old.

'It's a bit like walking into a Star Wars bar.

There are women dancing with women, men dancing with women and men dancing with shadows of themselves - all dressed head to toe in sequins and Lycra - it's really quite bizarre.

'But what an incredible time I've had.'

The fact that the event will raise thousands of pounds for local charity Changing Faces was another reason David was smiling.

The Guernsey branch celebrates its first anniversary on Saturday, knowing it has already helped hundreds of islanders - disfigured at birth or through injury - to overcome psychological and social turmoil.

'I think it is such a worthwhile cause,' he said. 'Years ago I worked for James Partridge, who is heavily involved with Changing Faces. I have always known about the remarkable work that it does.

'Last year a dog bit my nose. It took out a chunk about the size of a 20p piece, which completely wrecked my confidence. I can understand how people with major facial disfigurements need help to rebuild their confidence and Changing Faces is there to help them do that.'MORE than 400 people turned out for the event on Saturday, which sold out within three days. Now in its second year, the challenge was the brainchild of Guernsey's ambassadors of the year, husband and wife dancing duo Jamie and Vanessa Le Tissier.

'What a fantastic evening,' he said.

'We could have sold this event three or four times over.'

Jamie, 38, believes the popularity of the TV programme, Strictly Come Dancing, has done much to put the sport in the spotlight.

'The support for this event has been superb. There are hundreds of burly guys across Guernsey dying to get into dancing now that they have seen England's powerhouse scrum half Matt Dawson shimmy across their TV screens.'

He believes that one of the other reasons people have taken dance to their hearts is because it's something which everyone can get involved in.

'Vanessa and I are proof that you don't need to be the stereotypical dancer to have fun and do well. We are proud to be putting Guernsey on the ballroom and Latin American dancing map.'

Jamie was very proud of his dance partner for Saturday night's challenge, Guernsey Press photographer and reporter Zoe Ash, who came third in the competition.

'When I saw her dance for the first time, I thought "yikes!".

'But after a few rehearsals she really got it together and shone - she has been absolutely fantastic,' he said.

Jamie's dance partner and wife of eight years Vanessa, 40, said there were some very talented dancers, who had worked extremely hard to bring Guernsey's dance scene to the fore.

'There has been such great camaraderie between everybody and they have all worked so hard.

'We started rehearsals in January and the progress that some of them have made is really quite remarkable.

'It's just so sad that it's all over for another year.'

The challenge, she added, really could not have been done without the help of Claire and James Taplin, British professional closed finalists in 2002 and 2003, who flew over from Southampton every weekend to help coach the 12 couples.

Claire, who was also compere for the evening, kept the four judges, Carol Sheppard, Debbie Duport, Ken Jones and her husband, James, in order.

She said the celebrity dancers had really shone.

'Everybody has really enjoyed themselves so we are proud of all of them because they performed so well.

'I'm sure the event will encourage many people who have attended tonight to try out a class or two themselves.

It's just such a lot of fun,' she said.

Joel

SATURDAY was one of the most fun nights of my life. That's quite a statement after the fear and anxiety that had preceded the evening. But what I realised during the build-up, while my family and friends were eating their three-course meal and drinking their own body weight in alcohol, was that I was really lucky. How often do any of us have the opportunity to have all the people that are most important to us all in one place?

Friends and family mixing together and having a great time. And they're there for one reason: to support you.

I have to admit, I was so excited (or nervous, I couldn't decide which it was) beforehand that I could barely contain myself.

I had a pint while the audience were eating to try and calm myself, but that only seemed to make me even more excitable. The adrenaline was flowing so much that several other contestants, along with my dance partner, Zoe Gill, were asking if I had sunk a few shots of tequila with my one solitary pint.

Even my two best friends, who had told me they were attending only in the hope I would fall over, assured me that I was going to be fine.

The atmosphere of the event was amazing, electric even.

From the moment John Randall opened the show and the crowd all got behind him, clapping and cheering, I knew I was going to enjoy it. I achieved my main aim for the samba, which was not crashing into any of the other five couples on the floor.

It was a rather surreal moment when judge James Taplin held up a 10 for Zoe and me. Never again can my friends accuse me of having no rhythm while I embarrass myself in Folies.

I feel a bit lost now that it's all over. I want to do the whole night again, and get my Foxtrot right this time.

I'm grateful to have been asked and it was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of event that will stick around in my memory for a long time.

Zoe

I felt sick with nerves as I paced up and down the concourse at Beau Sejour, waiting to go in. I knew I could do it, I'd been practising the samba and quickstep for the past three months, but could I really pull it out the bag when it mattered?

I took my place in the line, ready to make my entrance, I knew it was now or never. The atmosphere was not as scary as I thought it would be. My table of supporters were at the front, shouting hysterically as I paraded past. My overriding fear was falling over. In rehearsals, I'd trodden on my dance partner, Jamie's, feet more times than I could remember.

I'd elbowed him in the face and even, once, nearly pulled him right to the floor. Fortunately, it didn't happen and, astonishingly, I even managed to bag a couple of perfect tens from the judges' panel.

I had mostly worried about letting people down. Jamie, myself, James and Claire - who were our brilliant teachers and, mostly, my friends and family, who had been so supportive and fearlessly confident and were cheering me on from the sidelines. Now it's over and I'm looking back at it from the other side, I do feel quite proud of myself.

While I feel undoubtedly relieved, I'm also quite sad it's over and that's the last thing I was expecting.

It is strange that our dysfunctional dancing community has dispersed.

Would I recommend it? If you can hold your nerve, it's definitely worth the sleepless nights of worry. It really was an amazing experience.

* DVDs of the Dancefloor Challenge 2007 are available for £10 from Jamie or Vanessa and the proceeds will be split between Gada and Changing Faces.

First David Chamberlain and Natasha Axworthy with 24 points

Second Celena Tabel and Peter Symes, with 22 points

Third Zoe Ash and Jamie Le Tissier with 21 points

Competitors

*James Bentley and Lyndsey Bromley

*Sarah Day and Kieran Clinton-Tarestad

*Peter Derham and Vanessa Le Tissier

*Cindy de Jersey and Tony Penney

*Joel de Woolfson and Zoe Gill

*Kira Gavey and Mike Le Conte

*John Randall and Kelly Baudains

*Hannah Reid and Jonathan Garrit

*Steve Williams and Jill Bray