CHAMPION DANCER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20922, 11 July 1931, Page 3 (Supplement)

CHAMPION DANCER.

LONDON MAN WINS AGAIN.

FIVE TIMES "IN SUCCESSION.

HOW A BUILDER KEEPS FIT.

Britain carried off all the honours in the "world dancing championship in Paris in Jlay. t

Mr. W. H. Heath, of Putney, London, for th 6 fifth time in succession won the world's amateur ballroom dancing championship. His partner was Miss Nellie ,Wood, of London. The professional dance championship was won by another London couple, Mr. 'Arthur Milner and Miss Norma Cave. They have previously won the professional championship of the Riviera. •■The championships were held under the auspices of the International Dancing Fedi eration and were under the patronage of the French Ministry of Fine Arts. • Although Paris, is the acknowledged home of the tango, Mr. Heath was adjudged the victor by 15 professional international judges and teachers . of. dancing, drawn from all over Europe. He also won all the other dances, including the fox-trot, the waltz, the quick-step, the blues and the one-step. Mr. Heath, who is 52, won the amateur championship last year with his daughter Nancy, who was unable to compete this year. He did not take up dancing until he was 42. In addition to winning the world's amateur championship five times he has won the world's mixed championship once, the championship of Europe three times, the championship of England, the championship of Central Europe and the German, Italian, Swiss and R_iviera championships. He is a builder, and lives in West Leigh Avenue, Putney. 3liss Heath said recently: "My father is certainly the best 'dancer I know. I was very disappointed at not being able to go with him this time, but the doctor told me I was not strong enough. Miss Wood is his private - secretary, and she is such a good dancer that he decided to have another try at the championship, with her as a partner. " My father sometimes practices a little for the championship, but otherwise, no doiis nothing but go to dances once oi twice a week. He used to be a great cyclist and played hockey. A few years S S° he took up tennis, but he dropped that because he believes that dancing keeps him as fit as any open-air sport.