Kiwi dancer wins UK pro Latin championships, eyes world title

A New Zealand Latin dancer has won the UK closed professional Latin dance championships in Blackpool.

Brian Dibnah, 31, started ballroom dancing in Christchurch as a boy, before moving to London 12 years ago.

To win the competition, he and his partner Georgiana Muja performed a cha cha, samba, rumba, paso doble and jive. The win makes Dibnah the first New Zealander to win the competition.

"It meant a lot to win this comp, this has obviously been a dream since I moved here from New Zealand. In this country, to win that competition, it's the best of the best," he said.

His dance partner and fiancée, Georgiana Muja, said his ability came naturally.

"His sense of musicality, rhythm, I think he was just born with a gift — not many people are born like that."

Dibnah said his upbringing shaped his connection to dance.

"I think being half Samoan, I used to go to church all the time with my mum growing up. We would go to these Samoan churches, and obviously dancing and singing music has always been a big part of that culture."

He started ballroom dancing aged 12 after watching Dancing with the Stars. His first dance teacher in Christchurch, Colleen Murray, said his talent was clear early on.

"He was always going to be a winner, he won from the word go."

Watching a recording of his winning dance, Murray said she was proud of his progress.

"Look at him — ohh, just love him to death, love him. Words can't express how proud I am of Brian, I'm just absolutely over the moon with him."

Dibnah credited Murray's role in his development.

"She was everything to me. You have a great dance teacher in your life, but I feel like the distinction between a dance teacher and a coach is, a coach goes above and beyond, and Colleen always did that for me."

Dibnah and Muja are now training in their Putney studio ahead of the world championships in Canada in two weeks.

"We've reached the highest level here in England, next going to push as high as we can go internationally."

Murray's advice from his early training days has stayed with him: "If you want to make it to the top, you gotta put the bloody hard work in, no messin'."