Early years

Carol was born on Boxing Day, 26 December 1958, and grew up in North London. Her parents enjoyed dancing socially and wanted their daughters to have a hobby. At eight, Carol began lessons with her sister at North Twenty Dance Studio, run by Stanley and Janet Jackson.

What began as a family activity gradually became a more serious pursuit. The dance school gave her a foundation, while her father’s enthusiasm helped open the door to competitive dancing.

Russell Monk and the first competitive years

At thirteen, Carol began dancing with her first competitive partner, Russell Monk. Her father had found the partnership opportunity through Dance News, and their tryout took place at Winston’s in Cheam. That address would acquire a special meaning. The studio, now Dance Options, is a place where Carol teaches today. Returning as a teacher to the place where her competitive journey began brings her story full circle.

Her early training included Ballroom with Peter Eggleton and Brenda Winslade and Latin with Robert O’Hara. She and Russell danced together for eight years, winning the International Junior Ballroom Championship and placing third in the Junior British Latin Championship at Blackpool.

Her father’s involvement produced memories as vivid as the results themselves. Determined to give Carol the best opportunities, he booked lessons with Nina Hunt, who was not taking junior pupils at the time. In his excitement, he wrote down the wrong month, and they arrived three months late for their first lesson.

Another memory reveals how differently father and daughter experienced competition. When Carol and Russell finished third in Junior Latin at Blackpool, her father was so disappointed that he booked himself into a different hotel. Carol remembers being more concerned about him than about her placing.

Results mattered, but they were never her first priority. What mattered most was the quality of her own dancing and whether she had given her best.

Her late teenage years also brought changes in her personal life. She married Russell at nineteen and divorced at twenty-one, recalling simply that they had grown apart. At twenty-one, she turned professional and began the partnership with Mark Parkin that would become a major chapter of her career.

The professional years with Mark Parkin

Carol and Mark represented Great Britain, establishing themselves among the leading professional Latin couples of their generation.

Their development was shaped by an exceptional group of teachers. Walter Laird was a central mentor. Carol remembers Mark having many discussions with him about music, while she listened closely and absorbed what was being shared. Listening became an important part of her education.

Later, Peter Maxwell took them under his guidance, adding another substantial layer to her understanding. Their teachers also included Michael Stylianos, Lorna Lee, Alan and Hazel Fletcher, John and Joan Knight, Peter Eggleton, Anthony Hurley and Benny Tolmeyer.

For Carol, access to such knowledge was one of the great privileges of her career. Each teacher contributed something she could explore in her own dancing and eventually pass on.

Initially, Carol and Mark competed in Ten Dance. At one point, they had a decisive conversation with Richard Gleave, who suggested that they concentrate on Latin. They followed his advice.

Over more than seven years of consistent work, they reached the finals of the major British, UK and International championships. Their results included third place at the UK Professional Latin Championships.

On 23 February 1985, they placed fourth at the European Professional Latin Championship in Southampton. Ahead of them were Donnie Burns and Gaynor Fairweather, David Sycamore and Denise Weavers, and Raymond and Gunn Myhrengen. Johan and Nadia Eftedal finished fifth, followed by Colin James and Lene Mikkelsen. It was a final that reflected the depth and distinction of professional Latin dancing in that era.

They placed fifth at the 1986 World Professional Latin Championship in Bournemouth.

Jarmo Nuutinen and the final competitive chapter

After her partnership with Mark, Carol’s last competitive partner was Jarmo Nuutinen from Finland. Their partnership formed the final chapter of her competitive life. They successfully represented Finland until 1990.

One of the things Carol most enjoyed about her partnership with Jarmo Nuutinen was creating dance shows together that challenged them both as performers.

After retirement — coaching and judging

After retiring from competition, Carol continued her work as a coach and adjudicator. The knowledge gathered through her own training became the foundation of her teaching. She had learned from teachers whose influence extended far beyond a single lesson.

Today, she sees those experiences as the ingredients of the teacher she has become. Studying with outstanding people gave her knowledge to share; years of practice and competition gave that knowledge a personal meaning.

For Carol, passing on what she has received is a natural continuation of a lifetime spent learning.

Carol was involved in a variety of dance education projects, including working with Ralf Schiller and the Alternative Rhythm Committee to help document Argentine tango technique.

Slovenia — a connection across generations

Carol’s relationship with Slovenia began early in her professional career, through Fredi Novak. They had known each other from practising in Dulwich, when Carol was still an amateur and Fredi was already a professional. When he wanted a Latin teacher for his couples in Slovenia, he invited her.

Among the first dancers she taught were Andrej Škufca and Katarina Venturini. Those early lessons marked the beginning of a connection that has continued for more than four decades.

Her connection also became deeply personal. Her longstanding friendships with Daniela Škofic Novak, Fredi Novak and many Slovenian dancers made Slovenia much more than another teaching destination.

That relationship continues to the present day. Across generations, Slovenian dancers have benefited from Carol’s knowledge and passed it on to others, and they continue to do so.

A lifetime of dancing and passing it on

Her career brought Carol into major professional Latin finals and, later, into the lives of generations of students. The major finals remain a proud achievement, and the sound of Blackpool has never left her.

Through it all, her guiding ambition has remained consistent: to be the best teacher she can be on any given day. Her work continues every time she passes something valuable on to another dancer.

Personal note

I first met Carol when I was a very young teacher and she began coming to Slovenia to teach our dancers. Over the years, we have shared many beautiful workshops and judged together around the globe.

What has always felt truly special to me is the way Carol lights up a ballroom simply by entering it. Open, positive and vibrant, yet always with both feet firmly on the ground, she brings exceptional knowledge to her teaching, wrapped in lightness and humour. Her warmth makes learning a pleasure, and her generosity reaches far beyond the dance floor. She truly has a huge heart, and I feel fortunate to have shared some wonderful moments with her.

Enjoy a beautiful podcast with Carol on Spotify - Barbara's Dance Room.