Catriona Wiles

We all go through ups and downs in our dance journeys, but sometimes the right thing for someone to do is to step away from the dance. At the start of this year, Catriona Wiles – champion dancer, teacher, event director, and emcee – decided to end her career in West Coast Swing. To better understand her decision, and the arc of her journey, Eric sat down with her for an honest, heartfelt, and forthcoming discussion. She talked about her start in West Coast Swing, how the dance started in the United Kingdom, and how she became a community leader in England. She shared the story of how she and Paul Warden started their partnership, how they choreographed routines, and why their partnership ended. She also shared her thoughts on the scene in Europe and what she hopes for the community. Finally, she explained why she’s decided to retire from West Coast Swing, how she’s feeling now that she’s made the announcement, and what she hopes to do with her free time. It’s a very authentic, revealing conversation that highlights some of the challenges of being immersed in our community. footnotesWest Coast Swing UKCatriona’s announcement on FacebookPaul Warden & Catriona Wiles – US Open Classic Division 2008