Paul Harris has been Jiving since the age of 8 ! Having initially learning the Ballroom version of Jive as a child, he went on to study Lindy Hop, Boogie Woogie, West Coast Swing, Charleston and Rock n Roll. Along with his partner at the time, he modelled lift after lift in a 10 hour photo session for Derek Young’s acclaimed book, Rock n Roll Dancing. The book formed the basis of the UKA’s Rock n Roll dance technique for over 30 years and is considered a definitive book in it’s genre

 

In turn, Paul Harris is the Author of the UKA’s syllabus in 19th and 20th Century Dance for the Dance module of BA Acting courses and he teaches Swing Dance , Jive and Charleston as an essential part of his classes at leading London Drama Schools – The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. 

 

Paul has choreographed Swing Dance scenes in movies such as Crooked House with Glenn Close and Blithe Spirit with Judi Dench, as well as for major television series such as The Halcyon and Poirot. He has also choreographed Swing Dance and Charleston routines for stage plays such as The Great Gatsby, The American Clock, Picnic, We Happy Few and he has even choreographed Shakespeare productions of Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing, set during the Swing Dance era. He choreographed a live show entitled Swing Out, that was resident at London’s Cafe de Paris for 6 months. 

 

Paul has appeared on television both in the UK and Asia to talk about Jiving and he has coached and choreographed many couples specialising in various forms of Swing Dance and Jive all over the World, including several of the professionals on Strictly Come Dancing and the former World Champions in Rock n Roll dancing.