Swing Patrol director Scott Cupit started his own company after appearing on Dragons’ Den, getting a thumbs up from both Duncan Bannatyne and Deborah Meaden.
He has since helped choreograph dances on Strictly Come Dancing, set up a school in Forest Gate, and was last month named “best dance teacher of the year” by top dancing magazine Dance Today.
“I was so surprised that my community would put me forward for this award,” he said. “It means the world that my students think that of me and I really did not expect it.”
Scott also runs a weekly class for elite swing dancers with Strictly Come Dancing and ITV’s Dancing On Ice star Jenny Thomas.
“On a Sunday afternoon I get to work with Jenny and teach the 36 most up coming swing dance stars, which is good fun, as Jenny is brilliant and to me she is my mentor,” said the 46-year-old.
Some stand-out moments in his 15-year career include getting to dance on hit show Call the Midwives, but he said the best part was seeing a new dancer’s journey.
“You get to see them all go from their sloppy beginnings to becoming really good dancers, to watch that journey brings me a real sense of achievement,” he said.
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