Tom Ryan | My Journey with Team Warwick Latin & Ballroom
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Can you tell us about your journey into your sport and what inspired you to get involved with Team Warwick?
My journey into Latin & Ballroom was ultimately one of luck and circumstance, and not necessarily one I expected. I entered the world of sport by doing Gymnastics from a young age, and I spent a year or so at my local gymnastics club progressing, but ultimately, the local club shut down and I was left looking for another club – or sport.
That's how I found Latin & Ballroom. My parents always said when I was younger that I had danced a lot around the house, and so I went along to my local Latin & Ballroom club to try it out and I fell in love. 14 years on, and I haven't looked back!
Before joining Warwick, I had taken a few years out of dance to focus on my A Level studies, and I wasn't entirely sure whether I'd start back up dancing when I got to Warwick. It had initially felt like I'd closed the Latin & Ballroom chapter of my life, and I was ready to move on. But, when I got to Warwick, I thought I'd go along to some Welcome Week sessions that Latin & Ballroom were running – and I instantly got hooked into the club.
I found an amazing group of friends, a club where I could be myself, and also a club where I could continue to push myself. Even though I came to Warwick as a three-time British Latin formation finalist, I knew I wanted more – and the club, and Team Warwick, have allowed me to develop that at a level that has been suitable for me.
What does your typical week look like as part of Team Warwick?
A typical week as part of Team Warwick, and Latin & Ballroom, never looks the same! We have weekly lessons with our coaches on a Monday. We then also have practice spaces and sessions during the week. As we near competitions, I'd be attending most of these sessions every week.
We also compete eight times a year, so that will involve us getting up very early on a Saturday morning (nothing prepares you for the 4:30am alarms!), getting on a bus, and heading off to a competition held, usually, by another university somewhere in the country! Warwick hosts one of these competitions, and we also go to Blackpool once a year for our nationals competition, organised by our university dancesport governing body IVDA.
Since joining the Latin & Ballroom exec, I've also had lots of other responsibilities including organising our competition entries and transport as Team Captain, organising exec meetings and sending out newsletters as Secretary, and helping with the general day-to-day running of the club and helping with the teaching of our Beginner lessons. Indeed, no day is the same, no week is the same!
How do you balance your academic commitments with training and competitions?
While the thought of having to balance academic commitments with quite a lot of training and competitions can be daunting, you get used to it over time!
Sometimes, that will mean taking work with you on a bus to a competition and reading a set reading at 5am in the morning while on the motorway, but other times, it'll mean you're still sat in the library at a sensible time doing your work while not missing out on developing yourself in your sport.
The training sessions we are allotted by Warwick Sport means we can still structure our day around our practice, and have a healthy balance between work, sport, and life.
Sometimes you have to take a step back from your sport in times of real academic need (especially around deadlines), but those times are very few and far between – and with the sessions we have allocated, there's always another time you can squeeze in a training session if you miss one!
What kind of support have you received through Team Warwick and what difference has it made to your experience?
We have a wonderful studio space to practice in the Sports & Wellness Hub. We also attend events such as the Club Conference. Attending the Club Conference as an exec member last year, I gained a lot of insight into what being a sports exec committee can do for you, even outside of the sport and I got a great look into where our club could develop even further.
What has been the biggest challenge in your sporting journey, and how did you overcome it?
As with any sport, Latin & Ballroom presents its own challenges, and I've certainly been met with a few over the years. On a competition level, pushing to be the best you possibly can be always proves a challenge – there have certainly been times when I thought I wouldn't be able to achieve my goals, and that was the case this year.
After not making the Pre-Intermediate Latin final last year at Nationals, I was determined to make the final this year. That meant putting in hours and hours of extra training, ensuring routines were polished, and being at the highest possible level I could be going into Blackpool with my partner, Karis Shutlar. The work however paid off and we walked away as British finalists.
When I was growing up, there were times when I wanted to walk away from the sport due to personal challenges, such as bullying, name-calling, and homophobia – experiences that, sadly, have too often been normalised for males who dance. With support from friends and family, I pushed through those tough times and I'm so glad to still be on the floor today doing what I love. Now, as part of Team Warwick, I've found a community that celebrates and supports everyone to take part in the sport they love.
How has Team Warwick helped you develop professionally and what opportunities has it given you?
Being on a Team Warwick exec committee has really helped me to develop skills that go beyond the dance floor. I've had to organise teams, deal with last minute changes to transport, deal with problems within the clubs, delegate tasks, work as a team, work alongside others, resolve problems, skills that I've been able to develop alongside developing in the sport I love.
What role have your team mates, coaches, or support staff played in your journey?
Speaking just on my Latin & Ballroom journey at Warwick, those alongside me have given me a multitude of support. My coaches, Jayne and Mark Shutlar, and soon to be, Sophie Woodall, have pushed me to achieve the best I possibly can, with training at the highest level.
My friends and team mates in Latin & Ballroom have also supported me every step of the way in my Team Warwick journey. Stepping out onto the dance floor is never daunting when you have a group of people cheering you on, being there for the moments when things don't go right, but also celebrating the moments when they do.
I will never ever forget the moment I won the Pre-Intermediate Latin Final at Nationals this year. My team mates around me really made that already-special moment even more special! The atmosphere was electric, everyone was hugging and cheering, and I will never forget that special moment. I wouldn't be where I am today in Latin & Ballroom without the support of my team, and I should say, I was so grateful and honoured to lead Warwick's Latin & Ballroom team as (Co-)Team Captain in 2024/25.
How has your sporting experience shaped your wellbeing and sense of belonging at the University of Warwick?
I think the best way I can describe this is by looking at myself when I joined Warwick as a shy, quiet fresher in 2023, to when I look at myself today, two years later, confident, assured, a stronger team leader, a stronger team player, and feeling like part of a community at Warwick.
Latin & Ballroom has certainly shaped a large part of my belonging. When I speak to people about University, I'll always speak to them about my experience at L&B, the friends I've made, the competitions I've been to, the hours of training I've put in (which some people will always think is crazy).
Even when I graduate at the end of this year (2026), I'll always feel a part of Team Warwick. I'm very lucky that the ex-student/alumni scene in Latin & Ballroom, especially at our competitions, is so active, and I'll always be proud to represent Warwick, whether that be as a competitor, or even as a supporter.
What are your current sporting goals and how are you being supported in reaching them?
As I head into my last year at Warwick, I want to continue pushing myself to achieve the best possible results in our competitions. Going into last year, my aim was to win Nationals. Something I achieved in February 2025, taking home the Pre-Intermediate Latin trophy at the prestigious Blackpool Winter Gardens. My first ever win at Blackpool in my 14 years of dancing, and a moment I will never forget.
This year, I'll be moving up a category to Intermediate, but the hard work doesn't stop here; it only begins. The aim is to make even more finals, including finals at Nationals in both the Latin & Ballroom divisions.
The support I receive from throughout the Latin & Ballroom club will hopefully help me to achieve these goals. From our professional tuition from our new coach Sophie Woodall, to support from team mates, and the rest of the exec around me including our President Ivanna Keane.
I have made 41 finals at university competitions since joining Latin & Ballroom, so of course, I'd like to see that number go over 50 by the end of the year, something I really think is achievable.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining a club, performance team, or applying for a scholarship at Warwick?
Three words: go for it. Three more words: never look back.
When you join a sports club at Warwick, you aren't just starting (or picking back up) a sport, you're joining a community, and I guarantee you'll meet friends who will form such an integral part of your university experience.
Whether you've never tried a sport before, whether you're looking for a new sport, or whether (like me), you're looking to pick a sport back up, just go for it and never look back! The memories you'll make in training, in competitions, on those journeys at 5am, will be one that stay with you for your whole university experience, and hopefully, for a lifetime.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience as part of Team Warwick?
I never thought, when I started Latin & Ballroom back, a sport I adore, that I'd have so many titles and finals to my name, and it is only with the support of Team Warwick and Latin & Ballroom that this has been possible. I've managed to win a British title, 13 more at other competitions, and made 41 finals in total. It's been a blast, and I'm excited for the year ahead!
Charlie Nova Content Contributor, Warwick Sport
Charlie is passionate about fitness, health, and wellbeing. He enjoys climbing, lifting, running, football, and is always eager to try new sports.
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