All smiles or tears? What’s your mood at the moment?
Chris: “Of course, our emotions are very mixed at the moment. You cannot leave behind a hugely successful partnership of 12 1/2 years without sadness. However, we are both looking ahead to new and exciting goals.”
Hazel: “When you have grown up with someone whom you admire greatly, and with whom you have worked so intensely, there are bound to be some tears. We are, though, entirely comfortable with the decision now that it has been made, and the most important thing is that we have great respect for each other, and remain very good friends.”
You’ve started your career together from the bottom. How confident were you that you were going to get to the top when you first teamed up?
Chris: “Within three months of partnering each other, we were Open British Youth Champions and Amateur semi-finalists. Three months later we were World Amateur finalists. Honestly, it was quite a shock, but we felt so natural together that we already knew by that time that we had a great chance for success.”
Hazel: “When I started dancing with Chris, I was very happy to have found a great partner. As the less experienced competitor, I was being challenged in my dancing, and I did not really know at the time what it meant to be successful. As those early successes unfolded, though, I soon realised that our partnership must be very special. However, after such a short time (yes – the 12 1/2 years really don’t seem long to me), I still have to pinch myself sometimes to believe that it has all been real.”
Was this your overall priority from the start or have your goals changed over the years?
Chris: “We started out just wanting to become champions, and then we learned that the real satisfaction comes from the quest to become great dancers. We believe that this is the true secret of success.”
Hazel: “The goals have generally been the same all along although, at each significant step of the way, we had to review our progress and work out our next objective. Some priorities never changed - we wanted to win and to win well, but above all we always wanted to express our love of dance to as many people as possible, and to try to encourage other people to dance.”
What will you remember most of your time together?
Chris: “The thing that I will remember most is the great team spirit that we have shared throughout our partnership. We have always been there to support each other and we will continue to do this whatever our independent futures may be. We have learned so much from each other, not just in dancing, but also in terms of our lives. The whole experience has been truly amazing, and is a memory that I will always treasure.”
Hazel: “I agree. We have shared a very special bond right from our initial try-out to our becoming World Professional Champions.”
Any funny episodes that spring to mind?
Chris: “The first thing that comes to my mind is falling over in all three of our World Championship title competitions. The most spectacular of these falls was at the 2002 event in Blackpool when I ended up flat on the floor in the final, performing some form of swimming motion — I’m told that it looked a little like breaststroke! It just goes to show you that you don’t always have to stay on your feet all the time to be the champion!
Hazel: “When I was thinking of making the transition from medallist school to competitive training, one couple from my medallist school gave me some advice and ‘encouragement’. They said that, if I worked really hard, I might do okay in novice competitions. A year later, my coach Nigel Tiffany said that I could be a World Champion. Well, I suppose that they were each correct in a way...”
Anything you’d rather forget?
Chris: “There are always painful experiences or low points in any competitive career. But, we would never wish to forget these. In fact, we have always used our difficult results to motivate us to go on and achieve greater performances. Quite simply, these are the moments that teach you the most. Winning is fabulous, of course, but you always learn more from losing!”
If you could turn the clock back, is there anything you would do differently?
Chris: “Not a thing! We have had a wonderful career together, and we have enjoyed every minute — even the low points — fortunately, there were not so many of these!”
Hazel: “Well, there was that pair of green velvet trousers that you wore for Latin...”
With all your commitments and ambitions it cannot have been easy all the time. Considering this and your partnership sadly having come to an end now - what made it all worthwhile?
Chris: “The thing that has been best about this experience was to meet, and to spend 12 1/2 years, working together as friends to achieve both of our life ambitions together. It is not often in life that you meet someone who you can honestly call a friend, and with whom you can share such an achievement, doing what we both love doing — dancing.”
Titles aside, what are you hoping the Hawkins/Newberry partnership will be remembered for?
Chris: “I hope that we will be remembered for being free spirits and great competitors. We have always believed in proving ourselves on the dance floor, and helping other competitors, both in England and throughout the world, when we are off the floor. We love dancing, and we have tried to share that love with everyone who has watched us perform. I hope that we will be remembered for the joy that we and our dancing have brought to people, and I hope that each of us can continue to do this in the future.
Hazel: “I would like to think that we will be known for being very approachable and very ‘normal’, and for inspiring people to experience and enjoy dancing.”
Your message to your fans:
Hazel: “We feel so fortunate to have your support and interest in all our endeavours. We are sorry if you are disappointed at our decision to end our partnership, but trust that you can wish us well as we move on in our lives.
Chris: “Simply — thank you! You have been a wonderful inspiration to us throughout our career. We have gained not just fans, but many, many friends, and we hope that these friendships will last long into the future. Neither Hazel nor I have any plans to desert you or dancing.
Our new contact details are chris@dancers.demon.co.uk and hazelnewberry@hotmail.com .
