Barbara McColl explained

Barbara Joanne McColl Stopford (née McColl) is a Scottish professional ballroom dancer, teacher, and adjudicator. She specializes in International Latin. With Sammy Stopford, she won in the professional Latin category four times at the Blackpool Dance Festival and three times at the UK Open. She is the Organizer of The World Championship WDC AL.

Career

Between 2 January 1987, when they placed 2nd at the ICBD World Professional Latin Championships in Miami, and 26 May 1995, when they placed 2nd at Blackpool, McColl and Stopford competed in multiple British and international dance championships in the professional Latin category.[1] They placed first at Blackpool four times,[2] in 1989, 1991, 1992, and 1994,[1] [3] and at the UK Open three times, in 1991, 1992, and 1994, and also won the ICBD European Professional Latin Championships in 1991.[1]

Since retiring from competition, McColl has been co-organiser with Stopford and Donnie Burns of the Open World Championship in Paris.[2] She and Stopford co-presented lectures at the Blackpool Congress that have been issued as a set by the British Dance Council.[4]

McColl was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to dance, particularly during COVID-19.

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://dancesportinfo.net/Couple/Sammy_Stopford_and_Barbara_Mccoll_50019/Results "Detailed results: Sammy Stopford & Barbara Mccoll, Professional Latin"
  2. Marge C. Enriquez, "Filipino ballroom dancer, 69, gets standing ovation in England", Lifestyle Inquirer, 26 June 2018.
  3. Juliet Pospielovsky, "Blackpool Dance Festival", Dance Magazine, September 1994, Dance Festival .
  4. https://vndance.info/product/sammy-stopford-barbara-mccoll-blackpool-congress-package/ "Sammy Stopford & Barbara McColl – Blackpool Congress (Package)"