‘I STARTED MY OWN DANCE COMPANY’

My divorce was the most
traumatic thing I’ve been
through, but everything
happens for a reason

Jayne Thompson, 29, is a payroll co-ordinator from Kent. The break-up of her marriage gave her the impetus to start a successful salsa dance company…

       I met Dave when I was 17 – he was the office manager and seven years my senior; I was the office clerk. Dating an older guy’s a big deal for a teenager. I looked up to him, was flattered by his attentions and wasted no time falling for him.
       Five years later down the line we were blissfully married. We both worked hard, which left little time for seeing each other, so my dance classes were the first sacrifice I made. What little spare time Dave had he wanted to spend it with me – and as far as I was concerned, he was my life.
       So you can imagine my shock when a year into our marriage I discovered he was having an affair. I was utterly devastated and even now I find it difficult to talk about. For six month I clung to the hope that we could make the things work and that I could forgive and forget – maybe I was scared of being alone for the first time in my life. Thankfully, though, I recovered my sanity. With the support of friends and family, I realised that I just couldn’t get over the betrayal and Dave and I agreed to divorce.
       The decree absolute came through in May 2000, then to top it all, I was made redundant. For a while I was at rock bottom, trying to deal with losing the man I had thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. My confidence plummeted and I leaned on friends, family and my wonderful neighbour, Ann.

      Although I kept the marital home, I’d never lived alone before and, weak as it may sound, I was scared. Ann and my good friend Charlotte helped me to keep positive. Not only did they lend shoulders to cry on, they also encouraged me to go out and meet new people; they urged me to find something to help me regain my self-esteem.
       The answer, of course, was dancing and, with a little research, I found a salsa class for beginners at my local gym. Before I met Dave I’d been keen on dancing and the classes gave me confidence and introduced me to new friends.
       Soon I had gained enough experience to teach beginners and by August 2002 I had qualified as an instructor. I became friendly with another salsa teacher, Steve, and together we decided to form our own company. It was hard work getting there, but in November last year, my childhood dream came true and our company, Salsa Sensation, was created. Steve and I now running two regular salsa evenings – over 100 people attend each one.
       I believe everything happens for a reason and while my divorce is probably the most traumatic thing I’ve been through, I’ve overcome my fear of being alone and have proved I can achieve something wonderful on my own.