4 AUG 2026 · 2 H 20
Closing Thoughts And Thank You
with NICOLE CUTLER
About this episode
In this episode of Break the Routine, Marius sits down with Nicole Cutler to explore a life shaped by ambition, reinvention, and a deep love of ballroom - from growing up and competing in South Africa to building a remarkable career in the UK as a Latin champion, performer, coach, adjudicator, and one of DanceSport’s most thoughtful public voices.
They talk about what it took to leave home at 18 to chase the dream of England and Blackpool, what success and pressure felt like behind the glamour, how partnerships and life transitions reshaped her identity, and why Nicole now speaks so openly about judging, coaching, musicality, female perspective, and the ways the industry can better develop dancers without losing humanity.
Chapters
- 00:00Intro
- 02:15Copying UK Routines From VHS Tapes
- 03:28Growing Up During Apartheid South Africa
- 04:30Moving To The UK At 18
- 07:41Following The Dream With No Money
- 08:00Is There Really More Pressure Today
- 10:59The Power Of A Small Trusted Team
- 13:59How To Choose Your Coaches
- 17:18Her Female Dance Inspirations
- 19:38Clarity From Fewer Coaches
- 22:03Choreography Versus Knowing Yourself
- 23:43Ballroom Or DanceSport Terminology
- 24:07Art Versus Sport And Russia China
- 28:35What Makes Her Hopeful And Protective
- 31:32The Sacrifice Behind Leaving Durban
- 33:41Learning To Mask The Pressure
- 34:37Fighting Holger And Charlotte For Number One
- 35:32Male Teachers Teaching Female Styling
- 39:53Why We Need More Women Judging
- 40:42Katarina Augusto And Female Legacy
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, 1408 passages
Dear dance friends, we are so so excited to have today a legend of the Latin American scene, Miss Nicole Cutler.
Oh, thank you very much, Morris.
Thank you so much.
I mean, dance sport coming from South Africa,
you already a Latin champion in South Africa. Uh, moving to the UK, um, having a remarkable career. Um, of course, uh, as a competitor, then of course as a performer in the in the entertainment industry. That's correct.
Then a coach, adjudicator, teacher, now blogger and yeah, you know, it's important to have that I love. Yeah. Right. the voice of of of the um legends to be to be heard and um yeah from winning major amateur titles and reaching professional finals of course appearing um in Silicon Dancing three seasons then you were on burn the floor which as as well is an iconic show. Um you guide dancers for many many years now. Um
you judge a lot. you have a very very complex perspective and this is [laughter] something
that I mean it's from all points literally um
Transcribed automatically from the episode audio, so some names may be misspelled. Tap a time to play that moment.