Nicole Cutler and UK hubby & partner Matthew
(see their homepage)
Blackpool Action
World
Champion, Nicole Cutler (formerly Nicole Westdyk from Durban, South Africa)
Dear Jay
I was 'surfing
the net', looking up old friends in the danceworld in SA and came across
your website which is wonderful! Full of interesting articles, interviews
and lots of information for anyone who wants to know anything about dancesport.
Well Done.
I don't know if you will remember me but, I am South African, which many people in South Africa forget, and am proud to be South African even though I am married to an Englishman! People over here don't realise that I am from SA and believe me, I am very quick to put them right and inform them that I am and always will be!
Although I have finally made it to where I want to be in the danceworld, I just wanted to let someone know that I could not have done it, if it wasn't for all the encouragement and support I had when I was still living and dancing in South Africa. I will never forget where I am from and I only hope that South Africa is proud of me, even though I don't represent South Africa, I am in my heart and soul, everytime I step onto that dancefloor!
So, thank you to SA for giving me what I have today!
Keep up the great work on the website... Dancesport really needs it!
Brief Dance
Profile
Open British
Champions 1997 & 1999
International
Champions 1999
World Champions
1999
European Champions
1999
UK Open Champions
2000
4 Times Closed
British Champions
5 Times Closed
UK Champions
South African
Open Champions 1994
I was also SA Amateur Latin Champion in 1990 with my previous partner Warren Smith (Graham & Italia Smith's son). Now that's a bit of history!
If you want anything else, just ask!
Regards
Matthew & Nicole Cutler
Q: you starting dancing... ?
When I was 12, although I did Ballet for 7 years previous to that. Matthew was 8 when he first learned to dance.
Q: who trained, encouraged, inspired and partnered you in South Africa?
My first teacher in Durban was Anne Micklebust. Then after a few years I started to go to Jessie & Jack Liddell, who I went to until the time I left SA and moved to UK at the tender age of 18. Dave Campbell used to come to Durban every month to teach and so, I guess he was also a 'main' teacher of mine. In fact, he was the one who encouraged me to go to the UK to dance in my very first 'British Open', just to see what it was like! And look where I am now!!
Over the years, there were many other teachers who came to SA from UK to do Demonstrations or teach, and of course, I had to have some lessons with all of them (I now know how expensive that must've been for my parents and I will be forever grateful to them for giving up so much for me!)
I think for me, the person/s who encouraged me to go further because they thought I had 'potential' was Colin & Lene James. Since the first time I met them in Durban, they have encouraged and supported me through all these years and once I moved to UK, they became my main coach and are still one of our teachers (and friends) today. Today Matthew & I have 3 trainers: Alan Fletcher, Richard Porter and Colin James. As well as being our trainers, they are coaches to us and also friends which is really important as, in this world of dancing it is important to have people around you who you trust, respect and can confide in as well as learn from!
I think the person who has inspired me the most in my dancing life is Claudia Leoni-, when I first started dancing and went to my first competition. She was the first person I saw dance in an 'open' event and I thought to myself, 'I want to be just like her!' Many years later, we became friends and she gave me many wise words of wisdom that I still remember today & I will always thank her for that. I never dreamt that one day I would be in a position to have other people think of me as I thought of her.
I haven't had too many partners in the past, so I guess I've been lucky! I danced with Andrew Magin first and we did really well together in both Ballroom and Latin. Then at 15, I started dancing with Warren Smith and we became SA Champions in Amateur Latin and our greatest result was being placed 3rd in the Open British Youth. In 1994, I started dancing with Matthew.
Q: how you met Matthew (hubby & partner)
I met Matthew when I came to UK to dance in the Open British Youth. We never really spoke other than say hello at practice. But, he has since told me that when Warren & I came 3rd in the Youth and he won it, he thought 'where the hell did this couple come from?' as he had never seen us around before. Then a few years later when I moved to UK, we obviously saw each other more often at practice and got to know each other a little more as, there was a really nice social feeling amongst everyone and we'd often see each other at someone's birthday party, etc. At the time just before we got together, we had both split with our partners and so, we had a 'try-out' which went really well and although his teacher (Alan Fletcher) didn't want us to dance together because he thought there was too much of a height difference, we ignored him and the rest as they say is history!
Q: your relationship as a dance couple?
Many people wonder what it must be like to dance with your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend and I must admit that it could be difficult if you don't think the right way about it. We treat our relationship as a dance couple as a 'business'. It helps to stop things getting personal if you are having a bad practice and are arguing, etc. It also helps us focus on our dancing and what we want to achieve from it without any distractions. If you find the right partner and want to be the best or achieve as much as you can, you have to focus everything on that and so, it does become 'business like'. We are a partnership in our future and both of us want the best future we can have so, we are a business team!
Everyone has their own way of preparing for a competition and you really have to find what is best for you, not to try and copy someone else's way of preparing for an event as, their way is unique to them and obviously works for them. Personally, I think that the mental training you do is equally as important as going to practice and every competition is different!
Sometimes, we don't practice for a few days before a big comp just so that by the time the comp comes, we really are looking forward to dancing and the inspiration is there. But that depends on how much training you do in the weeks leading up to the comp. I think the most important thing is the preparation you do in the weeks before so that by the time the comp comes you are confident in what you are doing, which makes everything a lot less stressful. Don't forget to take time out to actually enjoy your life too, this makes for a much happier dancer!!!
Many of the greatest sportspersons stick to a training schedule of 3 days training, 1 day off and I find this really works. Your body and mind can only take so much for a length of time then you need to absorb and recover!
During a competition
we try to stay away from other couples in the changing room or try and
find a quite corner somewhere away from everyone just so that we can focus
on the competition and what we have to do. It can be very distracting
having all your friends and competitors around you and I think you end
up giving to much energy to everything else instead of keeping your mental
and physical energy within yourself for what is really important.
But, as I said,
everyone is different and you have to find what works for you.
Q: who you admired and emulated?
I don't have
anyone I would like to emulate in our dance world, as I feel it is important
to be yourself and unique. If I wanted to emulate someone,
it would take away my individuality and being in the position we are in
at the moment, if I wanted to emulate someone, it would mean I could never
see myself being better than them! The people who have inspired me
the most are usually people outside our business who have achieved so much
in their lives, e.g. The Russian gymnast - Olga Korbet or great dancers
like Cid Cerise and people who have overcome so much to become
their dreams,
e.g. all the athletes in the Para Olympics. To me they are inspiring people.
What are the basic obstacles and tribulations encountered when striving to be the best and how you overcame them?
When my previous partner Warren and I wanted to dance in the Youth at Blackpool, but because of the Sanctions on SA at the time, we couldn't dance for SA and had to dance the British for UK. We did so well but, it couldn't be for our own country!
Something else which I am sure many South Africans can identify with is the fact that there is no financial support from the government for what we do, even though we represent our countries. It was incredibly hard to come to the UK with whatever money I had saved up and realise it wasn't enough (especially after the exchange rate) and the jobs I had to do to pay for my dancing well.... But, I can tell you this, it makes you stronger, more determined, and it is worth it in the end. But, you are not alone, the UK has the same outlook as SA in this matter, and the dancers here get nothing either.
Matthew is a very quite person so, even though we are together, he keeps his feelings close to his heart! I know that he is just as grateful as I am for all the opportunities we've had and we both still can't believe that we have achieved so much in a relatively short space of time together, and believe me, we never take what we have for granted because, it can all be taken away from you in a moment so, we enjoy and appreciate every moment that we have to dance!
Where does he hail from and his dance track record?
Matthew is from Southend-on-Sea in Essex which is on the South East coast of England, about 1 1/2 hours drive from London and can you believe that before he moved to London, he used to drive to practice every night for years! That really impressed me! He has quite a track record in our dance world and is probably one of the most successful English dancers. He won (amongst others): Open British Juvenile, Open British Junior, Open British Youth (2X), Open British Amateur (2x), with me!, and now Open British Professional Finalist.
your thoughts on the dance fashion, attire, hairdos, shoes, etc..
I don't have too much of an opinion on these things as, I am a great believer in wearing what you are most comfortable in and what suits you. You should never try to be something you're not and above all try to have your own style that is unique to you. Of course there are things that I don't like, for example, I still think that the men look better when they are not wearing colours for their Latin outfits and it portrays a much more manly image. I personally like a more classy style of dress as, I have seen many girls wearing outfits that they think look sexy but, can be a little too revealing, maybe 'less isn't always more'. Fashion changes so much so, you should try to find a look that suits you and stick to the idea - you'll know when it's right! There is a fashion now in the UK for girls to wear 31/2 inch heels - I have tried it but, be careful if you do... you can't use your feet as well! And, then it comes down to 'do you want to be able to dance or just look good!'
After making our first major final at the International Championships 5 years ago, we have worked our way up the ranks and in our last couple of years, we have won every major title as Amateurs. The Open British twice, The World, European, UK Open and International as well as winning our Closed British and Closed UK 4 times so, we felt we had achieved our goals and ambitions, not to mention our Dreams and it was time for new challenges and also inspiration. There is also a saying amongst all sportspersons - 'getting to the top is easier than staying at the top' and it can be difficult to make the decision to move on to the unknown but, that's all part of the fun as well as setting higher goals for you to reach!
Well, I hope
that
has given you a bit of an insight into us, and if there is anything
else you want to know, just ask!
I have also
included some photos of us if you want to add them to you photo gallery!
With best wishes
Matthew & Nicole Cutler
Ed
Perfect, and
I know there are thousands of SA dancers who will not only enjoy reading
about your experiences and achievements as a dancer, but a SOUTH AFRICAN
DANCER from Durbs who made it to the top the hard way. And thanks for all
the photos.