International Dance Instructors and Adjudicators
Welcome to my
Zoom Room!
"Let me be your fly on the wall"
The Zoom Room
by Barbara McColl-Stopford
The COVID-19 Pandemic has transformed the World of Dance as we know it.
Therefore, we all must adapt in order to continue developing and improving. I have created an environment to help you to do just that!
My Zoom Room is - and will always be - a place of support, a place of stimulation, and a place of self discovery where all are welcome.
Zoom Room Weekly
Open Group Class
All are welcome, no matter your level of ability or experience. Classes will explore different concepts intended to provoke internal investigation. Attention will be given to the technical, practical, psychological, and artistic elements of Latin American dancing.
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Zoom Room Exclusive
Group-Specific Classes
Bespoke classes, tailor-made to suit your students' needs. Whether you are a Dance School with young students, a professional with Pro-Ams, or someone entirely different, each group-class is engineered specifically for you and your students.
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Zoom Room Personal
Private Lessons
No two dancers are the same; therefore, no two lessons can be the same. I design each lesson I give to accommodate for the ability and requirements of my students. Available to couples and solo dancers of all ages and abilities.
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Please enquire for all pricing and availability.
To Join Barbara's Zoom Room, please contact us
All lessons outlined above are conducted by Barbara via Zoom.
Information regarding lessons with Sammy is available upon request.
Don't forget, you can also receive FREE FEEDBACK on your dancing by submitting a 10s video to www.stopfordsdancetips.com
Contact Us
Our Stories
Barbara
Born in Ecuador and raised in Scotland, Barbara began dancing at the age of 8 at the Warren Brown and Aileen Turner School of Dance in Bearsden. She first competed in the ‘all-girls’ category, starting as a medallist before moving to 'open' competitions. Aged 15, she was asked to dance with the then Junior Scottish Ballroom, Latin, and 10-dance champion – her first boy-girl partnership – with whom she won a number of titles, including those already mentioned and many others. With this new partnership came a new dance school, the Harry and Helene Rollins School of Dance, where Donnie Burns MBE was being trained.
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In 1981, she moved to Manchester, aged 19, for a new partnership that brought her into the Sammy Stopford School of Dance, a school synonymous with success and the creation of champions. Unbeknownst to Barbara, this was a pivotal moment in her life, for in 1984 she began dancing with Sammy Stopford MBE himself, which changed her life completely.
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With Sammy, Barbara was a 4-time British Open, 3-time UK Open, 3-time USA Open, International, European, World Team, and World Super Cup Professional Latin Dance champion, among a number of other titles. After retiring in 1995, they established their own dance school - Stopford's Dance and Fitness Centre - where they cultivated countless champion dancers across every age category. Furthermore, Barbara has travelled the globe to train and adjudicate the world's greatest dancers.
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"I believe there is no more rewarding role than that of a teacher; for one must inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and assist discovery."
Sammy
Sammy has been one of the most prominent figures in the dance industry for nearly 50 years. In 2019, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II awarded Sammy an MBE for his services to Ballroom and Latin American Dance.
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As a competitor, he was a multiple time International, UK Open, European, USA Open, and British Open Professional Latin Dance champion, among many other titles. He was ranked 1st in the World for a large portion of his career with his partner, and now wife, Barbara McColl-Stopford. He was also the first person ever to win the British Open Professional Latin Championship with two different partners.
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As a teacher, Sammy has trained dancers of all ages and abilities across the globe; this includes young children and teens through to adults and seniors, in both a social and medalist capacity all the way to Professional World champions. He has also lectured and adjudicated internationally for many years. A list of his pupils would simply be a list of the greatest exponents to ever grace Ballroom and Latin dancing. Sammy is renowned for going above and beyond for his pupils, often acting as a role model and life coach for them.
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Sammy is co-founder of the World Dance Council Amateur League and the original World Competitors' Corporation, as well as an organiser of the WDCAL World Championships. For many years, he has also been an Ambassador and Consultant for the world famous ‘Blackpool Dance Festival'.
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Sammy is one of Ballroom and Latin American dance's greatest influencers in terms of business strategy, dance ideas, stylistic progression, and all-round innovation both on and off the dance floor.
