11 AUG 2026 · 1 H 48
Opening The Doors Of Ballroom Wider
with JAMES WILSON
About this episode
In this episode of Break the Routine, Marius sits down with James Wilson, a British National Latin finalist turned choreographer, performer, and teacher whose career has spanned competition floors, West End stages, and the Strictly Come Dancing world. From being dragged to his first class by his cousin to dancing for Her Majesty the Queen and starring in Dancing with the Stars Turkey, James opens up about instinct, perseverance, and why longevity matters more than titles.
They talk about the reluctant beginning that shaped his life, the reality behind the glamour of touring and TV, the difference between competition prestige and real career building, and why James insists on standards and earned legitimacy while still championing collaboration, access, and giving other dancers a break.
Chapters
- 00:00Intro
- 00:51Complexity, Versatility And Being A Complete Dancer
- 02:25Perseverance And Never Understanding The Word No
- 03:03Finding Your Tribe And The Right Partnerships
- 05:10Come To The Studio First, Then Make Plans
- 06:18Are They Mistakes Or Lessons
- 06:41The Strictly Come Dancing Bubble Opportunities
- 07:33I Wish I Had Enjoyed It More
- 08:03There Is Nothing Glamorous About This Life
- 09:58The Sacrifices Behind The Career
- 11:17Two Seasons On Dancing With The Stars Turkey
- 13:52Dancing With Supermodel Adriana Lima
- 16:06Turkish Audiences Hated Slow Dancing
- 19:02Just Moved To Brighton And Nanny Wilson
- 19:48Dragged To Class By His Cousin
- 20:35Take That And Dirty Dancing Inspirations
- 21:40Running The Class As The Only Boy
- 24:47Dancing Partnerships Within The Same Family
- 27:47Coaching Senior Couples And Being A Therapist
- 29:10When Dance Became A Life Not A Hobby
Reels from this episode
All Reels on Instagram →They play on their own, muted. Tap one to hear it, tap again to mute.
Transcript
The full conversation, 1150 passages
Dear listeners, welcome to Break the Routine. Today guest is Mr. James Wilson, a dancer, choreographer, I would say performer, and teacher whose career has been shaped as much by instinct and perseverance as by talent. A British national Latin finalist, James built his foundation in the competitive world before expanding into theater, touring, choreography, and strictly related work, bringing his craft to both the dance floor and the wider entertainment world. What makes James especially compelling is not only the breadth of his experience, but the depth of knowledge and character behind it. James, welcome to Break the Routine. Yay! What an introduction.
I managed there.
You did. You got through it really well to be fair. [laughter]
It was English.
That was really good.
Did you know it was English?
All right. Well done.
Speak English. [laughter]
Transcribed automatically from the episode audio, so some names may be misspelled. Tap a time to play that moment.