ABOUT US
The United Kingdom Equality Dance Council (UKEDC) was first founded in May 2006, formerly known as the UK Same Sex Dance Council (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.
Download our constitution and bylaws.
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 social events.
Meet the committee
Tom Dane
Chair
Tom has been the Chair of the UKEDC since December 2022. He was elected to the Committee in 2018 and has acted as treasurer and secretary. Tom also sits on the board of the European Same-Sex Dance Association and chairs its Competition Rules Working Group. 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 equality dance scene in London and went on to compete in numerous Eurogames, the World Outgames in Miami, the Gay Games in Paris and Guadalajara as well as smaller equality competitions across Europe. While he enjoys the challenge of competing, it is the warmth and friendliness of the equality scene that keeps him dancing and he has made many friends as a result. Through his role on the UKEDC Committee, Tom wants to help equality dancing, both competitive and social, reach as wide an audience as possible so others can share Tom’s experience of dancing in this welcoming and diverse environment. By day, Tom is a qualified chartered accountant.
Thorsten Dreyer
Secretary
Thorsten started dancing in Germany when he was twelve and competed in mainstream competitions until the age of 21. Alongside competing he was also involved in the German Dance Sport Association’s youth committee, working on widening participation in dance sport. In his early 30s he discovered equality dancing in London where he became a member of Guyz in Sync. Thorsten has competed in equality dance competitions in Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Hungary, France, Germany, Austria, Sweden and the USA. He enjoys social dancing and wants to increase the opportunities for those interested in equality dance across the UK. Thorsten was co-opted onto the committee in March 2022 and has been the secretary since January 2023. Thorsten led the development of the UKEDC Strategy 2023 – 2028, helped to deliver the UKEDC Ball 2023, and joined the European Same-Sex Dance Association diversity working group.
Norma Daykin
Vice Chair
Norma is an associate ballroom dance teacher of the ISTD, having first qualified as a salsa teacher with the UKA in 2009. Based in Bristol, she leads Bristol Equality Dance and hosts the Bristol Equality Tea Dance with Jacky’s/Charles’ Jukebox, which is attended by dancers from across the UK. She has recently launched the Torquay Women’s Dance Weekend with Louise Sampson. Norma has danced since childhood and was delighted to discover the same sex/equality dance scene in the 1990s. She has been a regular attendee and participant in equality dance social events and competitions. She is keen to develop opportunities for Equality dancers outside London as well as strengthen connections between dancers across the UK.
Tessa Cleaver
Treasurer
Tessa has danced all her adult life. She discovered ballroom and Latin dancing in the early ’90s at Ralf and Tony’s classes at the London Lesbian and Gay Centre, and Jo Purvis’s tea dance at the Bell and has been social dancing ever since. She was briefly a member of the Pink Dancers, and in the last few years has been competing on the equality circuit. It is through equality dancing that she found her family and her community and hopes that UKEDC can ensure that the same warmth and strength of community can be there for others. Since joining the board in 2023 in the role of Treasurer, she has increased the amount and range of discounts available to members with dance shoe and costume providers, and is currently chairing the European Same-Sex Dance Association diversity working group.
Emily Spoor
General Committee Member
Em (she/her) is a queer dancer and a 2024 committee newcomer! She picked up ballroom and Latin at university and, after stepping away from the mainstream circuit in 2019, Em now competes 10 dance with her dance partner Sarah. Together they have had national and international success, medalling in the PJ Trophy, UKEO, and Eurogames.
Em loves social dancing and stoning dance costumes, and believes the samba bounce action is her personal nemesis. She currently lives in Birmingham with her partner, Chloe, and rescue kitten, Robert. As a UKEDC committee member Em is keen to promote equality dancing outside of London and welcomes others from the Midlands who are interested to get in touch.
Marsha Allan – Burns
Committee Member
Masha (she/they) has been dancing for most of her life, having trained in ballet for 16 years growing up. After stopping due to injury, she took a break from dancing for a few years, until she and her now-dance partner Rachel decided to try a beginners ballroom course in 2021, taught by Michal Litke. Through Rachel and Michal, Masha was introduced to the world of Equality dancing, and realised that it was possible to dance without having to conform to stereotypical gender roles and norms. After competing in their first Equality competition in Vienna in 2022, they both fell in love with not only Latin dancing, but also the Equality dancing community, and they now compete in Latin in as many Equality competitions as they can. Masha’s next aim is to learn how to social dance, so she can stop apologising to dance partners at social events. She is keen to get more involved with the UKEDC, to help maintain and promote the events and spaces that she feels so lucky to be a part of.
Rachel Solomon
General Committee Member
Rachel is a new Committee member and was co-opted in January 2025. She is also relatively new to dancing, having started as a beginner together with her dance partner Marsha in late 2021. She quickly came to love it and competed at her first Equality competition in Vienna in October 2022. Since then, she and Marsha have competed in Latin in various Equality competitions across Europe, including in the UK, France, Austria and Germany. Rachel loves the sense of community that comes with being part of Equality dancing (both competitive and social) and wants to make sure that this joy is shared by anyone who might benefit from it across the UK. In her non-dance life, Rachel is based in Cambridge and works in the charity sector.
Chloë Rogers
General Committee Member
Chloë (she/they) was co-opted onto committee in November 2024 having been an ardent supporter of UKEDC competitions and socials for the past few years! She can be found cheering from the sidelines, recording competitors dances, and sashaying about the floor as the earthly embodiment of Imelda’s Way. Chloë has always been into music having played in Big Bands and conducted shows for musicals but only came into equality dancing via her wife, Em. Going to all the UKEDC events, Chloë wanted to offer their skills in event management to help make these bigger and better. She currently lives in Birmingham with Em, and black rescue kitten, Robert. Over the next year, Chloë is making plans to expand equality dancing into the West Midlands and hopes very much to see you there. Give her a shout if you are based in the WM and looking for equality dance options.
Nuno Farinha
General Committee Member
Originally from Lisbon, but based in London, Nuno is a former professional and competitive Irish Dancer who toured internationally, including with Lord of the Dance, Celtic Legends and Gaelforce Dance, having fallen in love with this art form at a young age. He continues to teach internationally. Nuno discovered Equality Dancing through some of his closest friends, who several years ago started taking him to social dance events. In 2024, Nuno started taking an active interest in learning and competing in Ballroom & Latin dancing, having taken his first competitive steps in the Equality dance community in late 2024 and early 2025 in London.
He is keen to use his tech and digital skills from his regular career, as well as his professional dancing experience, to contribute to the UKEDC and the wider dance community.