My first memory of Mrs. Janet Gleave goes back decades. Alongside Mrs. Bobbie Irvine MBE, she was lecturing at the Blackpool Congress, where they danced together, effortlessly exchanging roles. I was mesmerized. Until that moment, I had never seen two women dancing ballroom together, demonstrating partnering skills so beautifully.
Biography
Janet Gleave (born Wade) was born on August 21, 1941, in Northampton, England. Her parents, social ballroom dancers, encouraged her and her sisters to dance. Janet began her journey at the age of twelve, learning Old Time dancing in a church hall in East Ham, with her first teacher, Ronnie Hutton.
By fifteen, Janet had joined a local Modern Formation Team, but her ambitions soon led her to individual dancing. It was during a Monday practice night at Sydney Francis studio that she learned Richard Gleave was looking for a partner. After a delayed start due to a missed letter, they finally teamed up in early 1963. That May, they danced their first British Amateur competition together, finishing twenty-sixth. By 1965, they made their first final, and in 1968, they won the British Amateur Championship.
Their success continued, winning the British Amateur title in 1969 and 1970, along with two European and two World Amateur Ballroom Championships. Janet’s joy was even more special when her sister Evelyn placed second in Latin at the 1970 Amateur Worlds.
Professional Career
In 1970, Janet and Richard turned professional and immediately reached the final of the International, finishing fourth. They claimed their first British Professional Ballroom title in 1973, and from that year until 1980, they reigned as World and British Professional Standard champions.
Janet and Richard were thought and inspired by the greats - Sonny Binick, Charles Thiebault, Len Scrivener, Peter Eggleton and Brenda Winslade and Bill and Bobbie Irvine.
After retiring from competitive dance in 1981, they continued to perform shows worldwide until 1989. Their influence extended through The Kingston Dance Studio, where they taught hundreds of dancers globally. Their dancing preserved the traditional values of ballroom while setting new standards for technical precision, timing and musical expression.
Awards and Legacy
Janet and Richard received five Carl Alan Awards, the most prestigious recognition in dance, in 1969, 1972, 1973, 1975 and 1979. Janet was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ballroom Dancers’ Federation (BDF).
Private Life
As a competitor, Janet made her own dresses, but in her free time, she enjoyed reading and cooking.
Today, at 83, she still enjoys teaching, playing golf and spending time with close friends.
In our recent interview, now available on Spotify (Barbara’s Dance Room), Janet shared her wisdom, advice and insights on the Tango. Full of life, positivity and grace, Mrs. Janet Gleave is undeniably a true living legend in ballroom dancing.