Kingsley Gainsford
Kingsley is a former New Zealand A Grade Ballroom, Latin, New Vogue and Classical Sequence Champion and is a Director of the North Shore Dance Centre based in Auckland. Having been a Juvenile, Junior, Youth and Adult Dancesport Champion and the New Zealand Amateur Representative Internationally, Kingsley along with his wife Angela lived and trained in the UK, travelling and dancing extensively throughout Europe. upon turning professional they moved to America to accept the position of Dance Teachers and Dancesport entertainers on P&O, Princess Cruises Premier Cruise Ships for three years cruising the Carribean & Alaska before returning to New Zealand.
Having been New Zealand representatives at seven World Championships, and part of the National and International dance community, Kingsley and Angela have a passion for encouraging dancers to be the best they can be and to enjoy the many benefits of being part of an artistic and active sport. Kingsley is a Fellow and Examiner of Dancesport, an International Adjudicator, Trustee of the New Zealand Ballroom Dance Council and New Zealand Representative to the Asia Pacific Dance Council (of which he was elected a Vice President) and The World Dance Council.
Richard Gleave OBE and Anne Gleave, UK, honoured Kingsley by appointing him the Ambassador for the Freedom to Dance Movement for New Zealand, encouraging dancers to Dance and Compete without barriers. On one of his many trips to Asia, Kingsley was also made a Director-General in the Pacific Rim Institute for Development and Education, part of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
Kingsley and Angela wish all Competitors and their Supporters a successful and enjoyable weekend of Dance.
It is not about the winning, but the taking part that is important. To rise to the challenge and dance and perform to the best of your ability, always improving and always enjoying the movement and the moment.
Wendy Johnson
Wendy Johnson, former New Zealand Ballroom and Latin Champion, is a world-renowned coach, choreographer, emcee and adjudicator. In addition to her ballroom dancing training, she had 10 years of ballet training, winning many prestigious competitions in both ballet as well as in ballroom and latin. Wendy along with her then partner, fellow Kiwi, Peter Smith were placed 7th in the Amateur Latin at Blackpool.
Among Wendy’s many achievements, she is a world class adjudicator, three time winner of Choreographer of the Year for North America and is also a co-organiser of the Holiday Dance Classic Dance Championships in Las Vegas.
Wendy has appeared on numerous television shows both in New Zealand and the U.S.A, namely “Grease Day U.S.A”, 25 episodes of the Merv Griffin Show, A.M. San Francisco, KPBS Legends, Championship Ballroom Dancing, KUSI News, San Diego Living and “Dancing Tweens”. During her ballet career in New Zealand, she was a resident dancer for many N.Z. shows including “The Late Show”.
She recently choreographed shows featuring on a number of Princess Cruise Ships, including their number one show “Bravo”. She has choreographed for several seasons of ABC’s hit television show “Dancing with the Stars” in the USA and choreographed for the “WOW” show in Eilat, Israel. In Europe, Wendy emceed for the Same Sex Olympics. Her forte is choreographing and producing shows for theatre and ballroom venues incorporating new and traditional music.
Wendy has two adorable grandsons in New York and a gorgeous granddaughter in San Diego so now divides her time between judging, coaching, choreographing, time with her children and grandchildren and regular visits to New Zealand to visit her family and support dancing in New Zealand.