Learn to cha-cha with Wirral choreographer to the stars James Wilson

The Wirral dance star will be putting people through their paces for a fabulous dance class in Oh Me Oh My in Water Street, on Saturday, March 16.

There might not be a glitter ball, but you can twist and twirl under twinkly lights with Strictly choreographer James Wilson at the new Brunch and Ballroom event in Liverpool.

And James says: “I can guarantee people will walk in, and dance out!”

The one-and-a-half hour class which is followed ‘by the most beautiful food’ is open to everyone, whether they’re used to showing their moves on the dancefloor – or they’ve never stepped on to it.

“And whether you perfect your technique or learn a new skill, you’ll definitely have fun,” he adds.

James, 40, first started the Brunch and Ballroom events with Oh Me Oh My in around 2019, before being interrupted by the pandemic.

But he says: “They approached me again a couple of months ago and wanted to relaunch it and I said I would absolutely love to do it again.

“It’s so popular. We had stag dos, hen dos, people celebrating 60^th birthdays, 21^st birthdays, and the good thing is it’s for absolutely everybody.

“You don’t need a partner to come along. I teach the class, we do Latin American, ballroom, and line, and you get fed and watered in the process. It’s great.”

James, who has toured with Strictly stars Anton Du Beke and Pasha Kovalev, and worked as choreographer on the hit show with the likes of Ruth Langsford, Aston Merrygold, and former Olympic gymnast Claudia Fragapane, will teach one dance per event, with the first being the much-loved cha-cha-cha.

“It’s always a favourite and one of the first dances you learn in the Latin branch. The class is an hour-and-a-half and you really do get a lot of intricate technique. You get a lovely routine you can go away with at the end, you have a bit of fun, a bit of exercise and you earn that brunch!

“There are different levels of dance; when we’re talking about dancing we’re talking evoking emotion and creating a story through movement.” And while not everyone will be able to score a perfect 10, James says: “You can teach people movement, to get their bodies engaged and get their toes tapping, and to get them moving to music.

“At Brunch and Ballroom no-one is looking at who’s best. I tailor the class to who’s there, and everyone comes away learning something and having a really good time.

“If you’ve danced before you’ll learn an extra bit of technique, if you’ve never danced before you’ll learn a new skill. 

“There’s so much variety of what can be offered through the day.”

Dance is hugely popular today with BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing being loved and watched by millions.

For James, who started dancing from the age of eight and went on to dance for England, becoming a British Professional National Latin American Showdance Finalist and British Closed Finalist, and going on to become assistant choreographer on Strictly, ‘it’s always been there’.

But he adds: “Now it’s been embraced by popularity. The Latin American and ballroom circuit was very insular. If you competed in ballroom and Latin you knew about it, if you didn’t, you had no idea.

“Now everybody sees it as glamorous and sophisticated and as intricate as it really is, and it’s a beautiful skill set. 

“It’s not a revival, it’s just given people a licence to do what they’ve always wanted but have been a bit scared to do, and enjoy it. 

“We love Strictly because there’s no back story to it, there’s no offence to it, it’s a simple, beautiful thing to see people learning a skill, making friendships, finding themselves through the art of dance, and you can see progression and journey. All of those ingredients are what makes it so successful.

“It’s fabulous to watch.”

James, who has theatre and TV credits under his belt and was a professional dancer on the Turkish version of Dancing with The Stars, says: “I’ve always loved it, and now everybody loves it.”

As well as Brunch and Ballroom, James is kept busy at The Hammond in Chester where he teaches ballroom and Latin, musical theatre, jazz, and other styles, and has other choreography ‘gigs’ planned in the future.

“I’m keeping ticking over,” he smiles. “I’m keeping my head above water and my feet on the dancefloor.”

Tickets are £25 per person (£30 includes a Mimosa cocktail on arrival). To book click here.

Brunch and Ballroom is at Oh Me Oh My in West Africa House, 25 Water Street, Liverpool from 11am to 3pm on Saturday, March 16.

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