About us
UK Equality Dance CouncilAbout us
The United Kingdom Equality Dance Council (UKEDC) was first founded in May 2006, formerly know as the UKSSDC. The primary aim of the Council is to represent the interests of equality dancers in the UK, as well as their trainers, the adjudicators, and competition organisers on a worldwide basis. This has included setting out the framework of rules for Equality Dance competitions, which are currently adopted by UK competition organisers.
Today, the Council continues its campaign to increase the awareness of, and participation in equality dance competitions. This includes offering a network of advice and providing a directory of all competitions and events.
Download our constitution and bylaws.
Meet the committee
Malcolm Hill
Chair
Malcolm started dancing when he was ten years old. He worked his way through the medal test system and started competing, winning and becoming a regular finalist in competitions he attended. He found his passion for teaching at an early age and at 16 decided to start training for his professional qualifications. Malcolm is Fellow and Examiner of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD). He is also the first appointed Head of Faculty Development for Ballroom, Latin American and Sequence for the ISTD.
Elected to the UKEDC in February 2018.
Louise Hunt
Vice Chair
Louise started dancing at the dance school Brighton Dancing in 2008 for fun, within weeks she was totally addicted! By 2010 she was assisting in many classes and began teaching Salsa, Ballroom and Latin. She was lucky to meet her life and dance partner through dance. They started competing in 2016 at the Pink Jukebox Trophy here in the UK. They currently compete in Latin and are both still enjoying their achievements. In 2017 she created a dance class called Latino Solo and enjoys hosting, teaching and dj-ing at various dance events around the country.
Elected to the UKEDC in February 2018.
Tom Dane
Treasurer
Tom had his first dance lessons in 1999 while studying in Germany and subsequently competed in waltz for Bristol University. A few years later he discovered the Same-Sex dance scene in London and went on to compete in the Eurogames in Barcelona, Helsinki and Stockholm, the World Outgames in Miami, the World Championships in Paris as well as smaller Same-Sex competitions across Europe. While he enjoys the challenge of competing, it is the warmth and friendliness of the Same-Sex scene that keeps him dancing and he has made many friends as a result. Tom is also a qualified chartered accountant.
Elected to the UKEDC in February 2018.
Pete Meager
Publicity Secretary
Pete has been part of the Equality Dance scene for a relatively short time compared to most, but has been an avid social dancer since early 2015 and spent a year and a half competing at European competitions and championships throughout 2016/17. He is an active member of various sport organisations within the LGBT+ community, currently a board member of the UKEDC, ESSDA, NOSSDA, Out For Sport, and Dancesport Expert for the Federation of Gay Games Sports Committee. Pete is a registered teacher with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance and a Competition Adjudicator for the British Dance Council. Many of you will know him more recently as a Master of Ceremonies at international competitions, alongside his passion for driving the equality dance agenda, specifically here in the UK.
Elected to the UKEDC in February 2016.
Charles Richman
General Secretary
Charles has been teaching for over 25 years now and is a Fellow and Examiner of the ISTD and also a Fellow of the IDTA. He is an ISTD Latin American Faculty committee member and a senior Dancesport teacher at Anthony Clifford Studios in Romford, Essex. He offers classes and private lessons for all levels from beginner to professional. Recently he has launched a brand new Same Sex Social, at Anthony Clifford Studios, on the last Saturday of each month and is hoping to offer classes in the near future. Over the years he has enjoyed being part of the same sex dance community and is delighted to be a new part of the committee for 2021.
Co-opted to the UKEDC in December 2020.
Jo Taylor
Membership Secretary
Jo has been dancing since 1994; she has learnt how to both follow and lead and is now training with the ISTD. She teaches Salsa, Ballroom and Latin.
Jo joined the Same Sex dance world when she met the love of her life and started competitive dancing in 2016. They were placed as the highest ranking female UK Latin couple at the World Championships in 2018.
Co-opted in 2019 and later elected to the UKEDC in February 2020.
Paul Killick
General Committee Member
Paul is a former World, European, British, International, United Kingdom, United States Latin Champion. Founder of the Millennium, Killick Klassik and Killick Royale Dance Championships together with The Royal Ball in Los Angeles. Owner of Paul Killick’s Danceport studio in Knightsbridge and the Arthur Murray flagship studio in Beverly Hills CA. Host of the DSI tv show Killick & Friends plus other tv and theatre productions.
Co-opted in 2019 and later elected to the UKEDC in February 2020.
Julie Tomkins
General Committee Member
Born in Ipswich, Julie started her dancing career at the age of five at the local dance school.She enjoyed a very successful career as both a Juvenile and Junior competitor. At sixteen upon leaving school she decided that teaching dance was to be her chosen career and qualified with the ISTD at seventeen. In the late nineties she teamed up with Martin Cawston and together they were finalists in both the Closed UK and British Latin American Championships they also enjoyed success both in the UK and internationally often being asked to represent the UK overseas.
At thirty five she was proud to be appointed an ISTD Examiner and is a triple Examiner, continuing to examine both in the UK and worldwide. She was the past ISTD Dancesport and Faculties Board Chair, the ISTD Latin American Faculty Chair, a former Director of the BDC as well as the Sports and Recreation Board. Julie continues to teach all levels and abilities and promotes equality and diversity in the world of dance, she holds a BDC and WDC judging licence and is often asked to lecture and adjudicate both at home and overseas for the mainstream and same sex community.
Elected to the UKEDC in February 2020.