Dancer Jacky Logan: ‘I’m fighting for gay rights through same-sex ballroom dancing’
Jacky Logan has been awarded an OBE for services to same-sex ballroom dancing. It’s time for Strictly Come Dancing to catch up, she says
Logan, 64, lives in Walthamstow in east London with her wife and dance partner, Mary. For almost 30 years, she has been a tireless advocate for same-sex ballroom dancing. “It is about taking away the emphasis of gender roles,” she says, “so people are free to choose how to participate.”
How do you know whether you’re a leader or a follower on the dancefloor? Flexible classes – such as London’s Pink Jukebox, a club for the LGBTQI community and their friends, which Logan co-founded in 1996 with Ralf Schiller – allow you to try both roles and see which fits.
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“Some people are natural dancers and can do several things at once, like interpret music, coordinate their limbs, navigate the dancefloor, and others need longer for their brain to talk to their feet,” says Logan. “If you find it easier, it could make more sense to lead initially, and vice versa.
“And it’s not just about sexuality. Some women might prefer to lead, or there are reasons for following – like if you have a disability and need more support. Obviously, it’s important to LGBTQI people, because they can dance with their life partners, but it benefits everyone.”
‘Dancing in the arms of someone you love feels like flying’
Logan would love Strictly to put same-sex dancing in context. “If they take it seriously and show a couple where you can appreciate the nuance of leading and following, and they tell a story, lots of people will think, ‘I can see myself doing that’,” she says.
Just as Strictly galvanised dying dance studios, so same-sex dance can help ballroom adapt and survive, believes Logan. “Younger people, or those who identify as queer or non-binary, don’t want to be in an uncomfortable, old-fashioned role,” she says. “Same-sex dance is liberating.”
Logan enjoys swapping lead in Latin routines with Mary and improvising, “because it brings out the communication between us. We met doing ballroom and it’s hugely important for our relationship. Dancing in the arms of someone you love feels like flying.”
There’s also a political aspect. Logan has been “fighting for gay rights through ballroom”, arguing that everyone should be able to participate. “This honour recognises the legitimacy of what we’re trying to achieve.” She’s proud that more teachers are now using “leader” and “follower” , rather than “men” and “ladies”, giving students more options.
When she DJs at dance events, Logan encourages that exploration. “There are often more women than men, so I say: ‘If you haven’t had a dance yet, why not ask another woman?’ It challenges the ingrained idea that it’s all up to the man.
“But I never forget how lucky we are in this country – there are some nations where it’s still illegal, or fatal, to dance openly with someone of the same sex. That lack of oppression is a valuable part of our democracy, and it’s another reason why this honour is such a big deal.”
For those keen to try same-sex ballroom, Logan recommends the friendly Pink Jukebox classes. “When you ask someone to dance, just say something like ‘I’m a follower – could you lead this one?’, and they may say yes, or ‘I’m usually a follower, but let’s give it a go.’ There’s no gender-defined language, so no one is embarrassed or excluded.”
Logan is also a FitSteps instructor, teaching ballroom in a fitness class without partnering; everyone learns both leader and follower steps. One of her pupils, a woman in her seventies, used to dance with her husband before he became unwell.
“But she’s found herself again in my class,” explains Logan. “She came along to a Rivoli social, then to Pink Jukebox to learn to lead. Her confidence is incredible – she’s now leading women and men.”
‘The magic of ballroom should be open to everyone; the fewer rules there are about who can participate, the better for us all’
In future, Logan hopes more ballroom classes will be taught without specific gender roles, and she’d love to see more social events like her Rivoli night, which foster a tolerant atmosphere. Plus, of course, a Strictly pairing.
“I’m bored with the sensationalising of same-sex dancing. But if the show takes the plunge, that visibility will open a lot of doors,” she says. “Strictly, or events like the Southbank Centre dances, are important because anyone can happen upon same-sex dance – and be encouraged to try dancing through that positive image, or become accepting of it.
“I’m constantly encouraging people to come along, and I try to make newcomers feel part of a family. If everyone did the same, then the magic of ballroom would be open to everyone; the fewer rules there are about who can participate, and how, the better for us all.”
This content was originally published here.
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