Q&A with Debra Hampton

Q - Debra, how did you get started dancing Hustle?

A - I went out one night, back in 1976, to club called Ipanema (a groundbreaking Brazilian club turned disco in midtown Manhattan that ended up being a very important club in Disco music history); at the time alot of people were already dancing a style of Hustle called the Bronx Hustle, well that night I walked in and saw this girl Rosemary doing the Latin Hustle and that was it, I was into it! There were alot of styles of Hustle going around at the time, there was a new style going around every other week. The Rope Hustle, Merengue Hustle, Tango Hustle, Latin Hustle, and a whole lot more, there were so many, and they were almost all over by the end of the following week!

Q - Okay let’s rewind just a tad from there, you were dancing and teaching already by then?

A - Yeah, I started teaching dance as a teenager at Fred Estaire and Arthur Murray in Manhattan, I was teaching Tap, Jazz and Ballet before teaching Hustle. I loved teaching, I hated sellling, so I would pass that over to my manager. I could teach my behind off, and people liked learning from me, but I was never into pushing the sales. Eventually I got tired of the Sales part, I ending up moving out to California in 1981.

Q - What was that like for a tried and true New Yorker like yourself?

A - It was tough, though I didn’t have time to teach for the first 6 years, I had my son Sean and was busy raising him. When I started teaching again, it wasn’t easy at all. The dance studios, the event people, the dance establishment out here didn’t accept me at first. I had a hard time, but slowly and surely I built my student base, and that was the key. I started to have my students competing in competitions and winning. First the local competitions, then regional, and then they started getting national recognition and somewhere in between I gained acceptance.

Q - Debra, it’s been said by many people that you taught alot of the Pros…

A - Yes, it’s true but you know as a professional courtesy, we don’t say, it’s decorum.

It’s admirable that you have the integrity to say that and stand by your position, rather than boost yourself as some other’s may, I respect you very much for that, anyway on to the positive…

A - Thank you

Q - You are one of the original founders of IHDA, the International Hustle Dance Association, tell me the impetus to starting that and how it came about

A - IHDA was created by a group of Hustle dancers who wanted to unite Hustle dancers across the country. Also so that we get recognition as a community. The first meeting to discuss this was at Hustle USA, my event with Maria Torres, Disco Dave Sarul & Donna Boyle, in 2000, a Corporation was formed right away, we all agreed we needed a syllabus and began working on that, and we began discussions about a point system, as well as means to keep people abreast of evolving guidelines or information.

Q - Who were some of the names present at the time?

A - Well, myself, Maria Torres, Disco Dave Sarul, Billy & Katie, Diane Nardone, Donna Boyle, Beth Darchi, Arte Phillips, Louis Orlando, Randy Clemons was our Moderator, and I’m sure there were a few more names if I missed you, I apologize. Billy Fajardo has done a fabulous job as President, Arte Phillips who was a past President did a great job promoting the cause and the name. Hopefully it continues to develop and grow into something that continues to unite Hustle dancers in the future.

Q - As of the original pioneers of the dance, which way should the Hustle community point to evolve?

A - Well one of the things that I want to do is to start teaching younger students, reach out to the youth. I will be offering a teen class soon, and also reaching out the the college/university age students who enjoy dancing to contemporary music. With all this dance influence now in the mainstream, between Dancing with the Stars, and all of the festivals and events, and the likes of ESPN sponsoring Dance events, it’s a great time to expand our reach with Hustle.

Q - Coming from New York, I noticed that California’s defacto partner dance seems to be West Coast Swing as a far as critical mass popularity; what if Hustle went the way of Mass popularity like WCS, is that a good thing? Is it even possible?

A - That would be really great, I would love to see it happen, and yes, it’s absolutely possible, I mean we have to really unite and band together as a community but Hustle has been there before. It’s very doable, and I would love for that to happen!

Q - What do you think is the best thing about the Hustle experience today?

A - Well, for one thing, it’s totally engrossing in any era, once you get into dancing Hustle, it’s in you, and that’s it; however one nice thing about today is Top 40 music; back in the day, it was only one type of music, where as today, the music can be very broad, and that’s very inspiring. Also, it’s great exercise, and it’s a way to express yourself. I like to quote another well known dance teacher Lynn Vogen who said, “Dance to express, not impress” and always I loved that.

Q - What are some current projects that you are involved in?

A - As far as events, I have Grand Pacific Dance Championships in the summer, and Halloween Hustle Thing in the fall, but my main priority is Hooray for Hollywood Dance Festival that I put on with my partner Marilyn Bardai. That takes place February 7-9, in 2009. Our first annual Hooray for Hollywood was a great success, and we are working hard to make it even better for next year.

Q - What is your enduring inspiration Debra?

A - Well, I’m inspired by alot of things, but my main goal is to teach as many people as possible, so the dance, Hustle lives on.

Thank you Debra, you’re a great role model.

Read Debra’s Bio and Profile on our Hustle Pros page here…