Early Life

Anne Gleave (née Lewis) was born in Ferndown, Dorset, a small town five miles from Bournemouth, where she lived and danced until the age of 16.

She began dancing at the age of six. Her parents believed in the grace and benefits of ballroom dancing for a young lady—from posture and elegance to social skills. Anne and her sister were sent to a local dance studio, where they trained under the popular medal test system.

By the age of 10, Anne had already completed her medal tests, first as a follower and later as a leader, in both Ballroom and Latin. She soon began competing, starting as a juvenile and continuing as a junior with her first partner, Colin Williams from Southampton.

Anne fondly remembers her first teacher, Miss Viva Henshaw of Ferndown, a strict medal teacher of the ISTD and IDTA.

From an early age, Anne showed discipline and a perfectionist streak, inspired by her mother. Yet, she also longed for freedom in movement and expression, which led her to prioritise Latin when she turned amateur at 16.

Career with James McKechan

In 1979, Anne partnered with James McKechan to pursue a serious competitive career, focusing on Latin dance for four years. Before teaming up with James, Anne had studied Latin with Peter Maxwell and June McMurdo, whom she absolutely adored.

James, meanwhile, had trained under Nina Hunt and Sammy Stopford. Once Anne and James began dancing together, they continued their development with Nina Hunt and Espen Salberg.

Anne adored the detail of Espen’s teaching, he was teaching Anne what to do on the specific beat. She saw him as a leading light back then as well as to a present day. A man who dedicated his life to all aspects of dance.

One of their notable international results came at the Savaria Dance Festival in 1983, where they placed 2nd in Amateur Latin.

During her amateur years, Anne worked at the University of Nottingham as an assistant to a professor, typing lecture notes. This experience—learning how to deliver structured lectures—proved invaluable for her future as a teacher and lecturer.

At this stage, Anne considered continuing her studies, but a phone call from John Wood changed everything. John, already a highly experienced ballroom dancer, invited Anne to form a partnership. Unsure at first, Anne sought advice from the Latin technician June McMurdo, who assured her that her Latin skills could easily transition into Ballroom.

Career with John Wood

In 1984, Anne shifted her focus to Ballroom and teamed up with John Wood. Their partnership blossomed into one of the most successful and respected in the history of ballroom dancing.

They developed a unique champion style—strong, grounded footwork paired with lightness, freedom and musicality in the upper body. John’s stability and strength complemented Anne’s sensuality and flexibility: he was the competitor, she the performer—the perfect match.

Major Titles

- International Professional Ballroom Champions – 1989

- 3× British Open Professional Ballroom Champions – 1989, 1991, 1993

- World Professional Ballroom Champions – 1989

- UK Professional Ballroom Champions – 1990

- 3× European Professional Ballroom Champions – 1989, 1991, 1992

Japan became a “second home” for Anne and John, where they performed some of their most memorable demonstrations. They had the honour of appearing at the very first World Superstars event organised by Mickey and Momo Kezuka, and later shared the stage with legends such as Donnie Burns MBE & Gaynor Fairweather MBE, Corky & Shirley Ballas, Jukka Haapalainen & Sirpa Suutari, David Sycamore & Denise Weavers, and their close friends Johan & Nadia Eftedal.

Anne and John studied under an extraordinary team of mentors, including Richard Gleave CBE, Janet Gleave, Anthony Hurley, Peter Eggleton and John Del-Roy.

They retired at the Blackpool Team Match in 1994.

Life After Competitive Dancing

Media and Special Appearances

Anne contributed her expert commentary to the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing via the Red Button service. In 2003, she served as British team captain at the Opening Ceremony of the British Team Match, performing a dance “duel” with Peter Eggleton against Karen Hilton and Bill Irvine.

Teaching, Lecturing and Adjudicating

Anne is renowned for her profound, individualised teaching methods. She goes beyond fundamentals, focusing on musicality, artistry and subtle nuances in dance. She continues to lecture and teach worldwide.

She also features in acclaimed instructional DVDs, including the Richard & Anne Gleave Diamond Collection (a technical guide to ballroom dancing) and Musical Dancing, dedicated to musical interpretation.

Her deep knowledge, experience and integrity have led to her being invited to adjudicate many of the world’s most prestigious competitions.

Freedom to Dance

In 2010, Anne and her husband Richard Gleave CBE co-founded Freedom to Dance, a movement empowering dancers to compete globally without restrictive boundaries.

In 2011, they hosted the inaugural Freedom to Dance Open to the World competition.

In 2024, Freedom to Dance introduced a groundbreaking Blind and Partially Sighted (BPS) category at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool during the Open Worlds Dance Competition, pairing visually impaired dancers with sighted partners in both Latin and Ballroom.

Over 15 years, Freedom to Dance has reached 26 countries and organised around 100 events worldwide.

Awards and Recognition

In 2019 Anne received the Prince Mikasa Award for Lifetime Achievement from Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko of Mikasa in Tokyo.

Personal Life

In 1994, Anne married Richard Gleave CBE. They have a daughter, Clair, an artist, who turns 30 in October.

Outside dance, Anne enjoys reading, studying and gardening—a peaceful balance to her artistic life.

Personal Note

As a young teacher, I admired Anne and John’s dancing from afar. They embodied what my mentor, Prof. Dr. Krešimir Petrović, taught me: that a great dancer must have the strength of a tiger and the freedom of a bird.

I vividly remember Anne assisting Michael Stylianos during his lecture at the famous Blackpool Congress. Until that moment, I hadn’t realised that Anne was also a superb Latin dancer. It taught me never to label dancers strictly as “Latin” or “Ballroom.” A dancer is, simply, a dancer.

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside Anne—judging competitions and serving on the WDO Education Committee. Anne is one of the most beautiful souls I’ve ever met and it’s no surprise that we share a dear friend, Nadia Eftedal. I hope that one day we’ll dance the night away in Havana, and Anne will once again return to her beloved Latin spirit.

Closing

Anne Gleave is a distinguished figure in the world of Ballroom dancing—an accomplished champion, an advocate for dancer freedom and inclusion, a gifted teacher and lecturer and a graceful performer off the floor. Her career continues to inspire dancers of all ages and abilities, grounded in both excellence and empathy.

Spotify - Barbara's Dance Room

Enjoy an engaging and inspiring interview with Anne Gleave who has devoted her life to the art of ballroom dancing. A Latin dancer at heart, she has successfully transformed her Latin dreams into a distinctive ballroom style.