Meet the Planet Leroc Team

  • Mark & Jax

    Planet Leroc Wales Modern Jive is run by Jax Robins & Mark Wilson.

    Mark has been dancing Leroc since 1993 and Jax since 1997.They first competed together in the British Swing Dance Championships in 1999, coming 2nd in the Slow Groove section. Later that year they came 4th in the UK Modern Jive Open Classic Advanced Section. They performed at Blackpool in March 2001, where they choreographed a routine with an emphasis on Street Dance Leroc. This routine won the Spotlight Section of the 'Chance2Dance' UK OpenJive competition. They also won the Showcase Section of the Ceroc Dance Champions 2001, where they performed a new routine incorporating different styles. This was followed by 2nd place in the Showcase Section of the Leroc 2000 UK Modern Jive Championships. In 2002 they came 2nd in the Advance Section of the 'Chance2Dance' UK Open Jive competition. In 2004 their showcase won the Leroc 2000 UK Dance Championships and their advanced freestlye got them 3rd place in the open. They have gone on to win many more freestyle and showcase trophies and now teach both at home in the UK and abroad.

    Mark & Jax now teach weekly Leroc Modern Jive classes.

  • Jane

    Jane and Chris partner each other in the second beginners team.

    Jane Brunnock started dancing in 2005 but her first group folded due to venue difficulties. She sought out a new group and fortunately for us she heard about Jax and Mark's classes and has been here ever since. In 2007 she and one of her dance partners, started to teach beginners. Jane enjoys both the dancing and the socialising. 'Coming from an all male household it's nice to have some female conversation as well as to be able to dance - my husband has the original two left feet.'

  • Chris & Chris

    Christopher (the Photographer) Hyde, one of the second-beginners teachers and event roadie, started dancing in 2002. Despite initial reluctance, by the end of the first lesson he was hooked. The only problem was that he thought his head would explode from remembering 4 new moves every week. Fortunately that explosion never happened. 'It's fun first of all, plus great exercise and certainly beats going to the gym. When we have students at work, I always recommend that they learn to dance - where else do you get to hold hands with a lady within minutes of meeting her. Er.., perhaps you'd better not tell Christine I said that.'

    'Christopher! Too late, I heard'

    His partner Christine Hyde, looks after the website, arranges and participates in the receptionists rota, is an occasional second-beginners teacher, and helps to set up classes and events! She started dancing in 2002. 'It took 26 years to get my partner Chris dancing and now he's started he just won't stop! I'm not complaining, I love to dance and it's great that he finally enjoys it as much as I do. This has also given us a shared interest and transformed our social life. We have made a lot of good friends as a result of dancing.'

  • Dave

    In 2007 Dave was looking for a way of improving his social life and saw an advert for modern jive lessons. He had always wanted to learn to dance so he joined Planet Leroc. Dave has tried other dance forms but stays with Leroc as it provides an excellent social mix. Since joining us, Dave has become a confident dancer and has successfully competed in numerous Cardiff and Bristol 'Dance With A Stranger' (DWAS) or 'Take A Chance' competitions. He has often been placed in the final 6 and has won 1st and 3rd place trophies for his efforts. His latest success was to win the Intermediate DWAS Indie Championships at Frimley Green, Surrey in July 2014.

    Within the team Dave is one of the people ensuring equipment and venues are set up correctly for classes and dances.