Goran and Nicola Nordin
Nicola Jane Nordin (nee Cranshaw)
Early History
I was born in Southport and started dancing at the age of 5 – a Saturday afternoon class in my hometown. I really enjoyed it and after dancing for five years in an All-Girls partnership I changed dancing schools and started to train with the fabulous Margaret Redmond who helped and guided me in the right direction. She partnered me up with my first boy partner Neil Johnson. One of our first major competitions was the International Juvenile Championships at the Royal Albert Hall in 1976, where we finished 5th in the Juvenile Ballroom – I was hooked!
I progressed into Junior competitions at 12 years of age, after changing partners I eventually danced with Gary Edwards and we became one of the world’s top Junior couples in both ballroom and Latin events reaching all the major finals including the Open British, International and many others.
After a successful Juvenile and Junior career Gary outgrew me and I moved into Youth and Amateur and began to specialise in the Latin field.
I then started to dance with Chris Johnston which was the start of a long successful partnership. We were one of the first couples ever to receive a corporate sponsorship from British Aerospace which allowed us to attend the famous United States Ballroom Championships in Miami which we managed to win. This was quite an achievement at the time as sponsorships were not as readily available as they are today.
We also won the British and European Under 21 Championships, and as Amateurs won the World Cup in Holland, the Italian Open in Cervia as well as reaching the finals of the Worlds, Europeans, British and International Championships, finishing 3rd in the prestigious United Kingdom Open Championships at the Bournemouth International Centre.
During this time, we also appeared on “Come Dancing” which was the predecessor to “Strictly Come Dancing“, as members of the British Team we represented Great Britain in many team matches abroad as well as at the British Open Championships. Following that I teamed up with Paul Killick and in our short time together achieved great success by reaching the finals in the British Open Amateur Latin Championships and finishing in third position in the Worlds Segue Championships held in Germany with our number entitled “Fever”.
It was then I partnered up with Goran and we competed together first as Amateurs and then as Professionals from 1990 until 2000 when we retired from competitions.
Goran Nordin
Early History
I was born in Sweden and started dancing when I was 10 years old at a local dance school under the supervision of Gunnar and Lorraine Rhodin. I danced my first competition at the age 12yrs with Lena CARLSSON and it was at that point I realised dancing was for me.
I continued to compete both in Sweden and Europe for the next 8 years achieving great success in Ballroom, Latin American and Ten Dance. In 1983 I took the brave step of moving to Norway to continue my dance education with the famous Espen Salberg and Tor Floysvik. During that time, I danced with two fabulous partners Cathrine Anderson and Ann Johnson and achieved great success with them both. I was the Swedish Junior Latin Champion ten times, the Swedish Junior Ballroom Champion eight times. I was the Swedish Ten Dance Champion six times and went on to be the Swedish Amateur Ballroom and Latin Champion for nine years representing my country abroad extensively and reaching the finals of many international events.
In the latter part of 1989, I had an opportunity to have a “tryout” with a very good English girl – Nicola Cranshaw. We decided the partnership could be successful, so I then made the move to England and that is when our journey together started.
Our Story
Goran and Nicola Nordin
During our competitive time, we achieved great success together by winning the United Kingdom Closed, British Closed, Amateur and Professional Latin Championships. We were also winners of the International Rising Star Latin Championships as well as being finalists in the European Latin Championships and British team members at the famous British Open team match.
After making appearances on “The Generation Game” we have also published various dance videos and appeared in several dance-related films.
After dancing together from 1990 as Amateurs then, from 1992 until 2000 as Professionals we then retired from competing and commenced along the path of teaching and adjudicating. We currently teach at Matico Dance Studio after spending many years teaching at the famous Semley studios and we currently travel extensively throughout Europe, USA and Asia to teach, lecture and adjudicate.
We are both World Dance Council and British Dance Council registered adjudicators and have adjudicated the prestigious British Open, United Kingdom Open and The International Championships held at the Royal Albert Hall as well as the Worlds and European Championships. We were also successful recipients of the Classique De Danse Professional Teachers Award for services to dance and are both ISTD and IDTA qualified.
Additional information
Goran is also very interested in designing and making bespoke ballroom, Latin dresses, and men’s outfits. This has been very successful as it allows him to help the dancers create their own individual look. An important part of becoming successful is looking the part and this is something Goran enjoys for relaxation!! For further information regarding pricing, bookings or consultations please contact Goran at gonordinnordin@aol.co.uk
Nicola is currently the President of the Ballroom Dancers Federation and a director of the British Dance Council. She is passionate about the development of dance both in the UK and abroad and is therefore actively involved with various committees helping to do this.