About Us

Introduction

Ceroc Dance Company was formed in Sydney in 1991 by Mark Harding. Later the name was changed to Ceroc Australia Dance Company. It teaches a stylish form of Modern Jive which is a fusion of Salsa and Jive that is easy and fun to learn and can be danced to a wide variety of music. Classes are held at venues throughout the Sydney Metropolitan area and on the Central Coast. A club-like atmosphere has developed as a result of the many social events run throughout the year such as Dance Parties, the annual Ball, the annual Dance Camp, Cocktail Weekender and Australian Championships.

Ceroc Australia Dance Company also has strong links with other Modern Jive organisations across Australia and New Zealand and is the only dance company in the southern hemisphere to have an affiliation with the original Ceroc organization in the UK. With a staff of 142, its teachers have direct access to the UK’s intranet training and a vast database of Modern Jive moves, keeping their teaching up-to-date and fresh.

Up to 1200 people regularly attend a Ceroc class each week at one of the many venues throughout Sydney.

A Ceroc class is meant to be fun so relax and smile. Believe it or not, it is easier to dance if you don't try so hard! Don't worry if you don't get all the moves in the Beginners class - you can ask all your questions in the Learn to Freestyle Class, which is taught just after the Beginners class and goes over the Beginners routine again, but in a smaller group.

About Mark Harding, Owner and Founder of Ceroc Australia Dance Company

Raised on the northern beaches of Sydney, Mark started teaching Modern Jive in 1991 and gave up his accountancy career with Price Waterhouse in 1991 to pursue the development of Modern Jive full time.

Ceroc Australia Dance Company was first to introduce many new initiatives to the Pacific including the Aussie Masters event, full length choreographed routines for customers, theatre staged gala shows such as 'Sizzle 2001/2003', marathon jive events raising $35,000 for charities and Mark's dancers were the largest adult group of participants at the Olympic Games in the opening and closing ceremonies in 2000 and performed in the World Cup Rugby opening ceremony in October 2003.

Mark married his dance partner, Simone, in February 2003. Together and individually they have won many dance championships and choreographed many routines such as Sex Bomb, Kylie (On a Night Like This), Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps, Am I Sexy, So Hot, History Repeating and the Australian Dance Festival Routine.

Continuing their successful partnership they have had two boys, Ethan in October 2005 and Tyler in March 2010.

Mark & Simone are Ceroc Champions in their own right

Below is a list of their wins to date:

History of Ceroc

Ceroc, an abbreviation for the French phrase c'est Rock, started out with a group of friends in London and has developed into a worldwide phenomenon of partner dancing. James Cronin, was the leader of these friends and with his French ancestry and love of the French style coupled with a rock 'n roll background, got the group together in London's inner west. So popular was the launch and take up, Ceroc hit the headlines and even made the hallowed pages of the 'Sloane Rangers Handbook', 'the' book for the trendsetters of the early 80's in London.

Ceroc UK continues to trade as the most successful modern Jive dance company now under the guidance and ownership of Mike Ellard, one of the coolest and most experienced Ceroc teachers who took over the reigns when James decided to follow a different path. You only have to look at the Ceroc UK website (www.ceroc.com) to see just how far Ceroc has come since the early and heady days of the 80's.

In Australia it was up to a Brisbane surgeon, David Gotley, an import from London who founded Ceroc in Australia. That first class was held in the Dance Hall at the corner of Vulture Street and Stephens Road, South Brisbane on Thursday 7th February 1991. This class continues as Ceroc Club Brisbane.