J'AIME JANUARY 2019

lack hole she’d found herself in.
“Dance has given me so much; when I first started
it gave me something to do and something to work
towards,” she says. “It got me out of the house and
that was the reason I kept going. The friendships and
relationships I now have, have grown from that, and
they’re the reason I continue to go.
“When I started Ceroc I was in a dark place; I’d just
come out of a long term relationship which ended
abruptly without warning, and it put me in a position
where I felt that, without that person, I was very
alone. I didn’t have many friends; I had my university
and work life but that was it, and I started spiralling.
“There were points where I didn’t want to get out
of bed, and there were points where my mental
health was so low that I did consider the worst case
scenario.
“But dance has completely changed my life.”
So much so that now, Jordan and her partner Dayle
Archer have taken their dancing to the next level
on the competition circuit. Ceroc - and modern
jive - has a series of competitions around the world
where amateur and professional dancers of all ages
and abilities compete for silverware in a variety of
categories. The World Modern Jive Championships
takes place on the hallowed floor of the Blackpool
Tower Ballroom, meaning competitors have the
chance to follow in the fancy footsteps of their
Strictly heroes.
“I never thought I’d get as far as I have,” says Jordan.
“To feel like we’re doing well enough to compete is
a huge thing, and to be able to get up in front of an
audience and dance is not something I ever imagined
I’d feel comfortable doing.
“You can dance with anyone and everyone and really
enjoy it, and then there are those times when you
find that person who you dance really well with and
get on really well with, and it feels amazing in those
situations, where you really connect with somebody,
which is what I have with Dayle.”
Whether your aim is to keep fit, specialise in a new
skill or simply let your hair down for the night, Ceroc
CEROC ADDICTION RUNS CLASSES
AROUND THE MIDLANDS AND
BEYOND. PHOTO BY TEL JENKINS
JORDAN AND PARTNER
DAYLE IN COMPETITION.
PHOTO BY GRAHAM FAREY
is guaranteed to give you a night to remember.
“It’s the ability to combine learning with something
really social,” says Jordan. “The fact that you’re
encouraged to rotate partners is a genius idea, and it
means you get so much more out of the experience.
“Ceroc attracts people of all ages and from all walks
of life, from teenagers to people in their eighties, and
with all kinds of backgrounds, which is what makes it
so interesting.
“And it’s knowing that you can come along on your
own and make new friends. When I started I came
along with my mum or a friend because I was so
socially inept I found it difficult to leave the house.
But now I’m happy to go along to a class or freestyle
by myself, which is a huge progression.
“At this point it feels like something I’ve always done;
I can’t really remember life without Ceroc and it’s a
really big part of my life.”
So if you’re looking to embrace Strictly fever,
or just want to give something new a try, then
why not take a chance on dance? It just might
change your life.
Ceroc Addiction’s new class starts at
Brownhills Memorial Hall, Lichfield
Road, Brownhills, on Wednesday
January 16, and the group also runs
classes locally in Stafford on Tuesdays
and Wolverhampton on Thursdays
as well as classes and freestyle dance
events further afield around the
Midlands and North West. For more
information visit www.ceroc.com or
find Ceroc Addiction on Facebook.
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