Justine Brown is not a lady that can be pushed around. She has got to the top through pure grit and determination, cheating death itself in pursuit of her Line dancing dream. Living testimony to Albert Einstein's observation that genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration; Justine set her heart on becoming a success and never looked back. Despite ill-health and bullying tactics from rivals, she has stuck to her guns and emerged triumphant.
Her story started in 1996 after she and her now husband John were invited to a Country club in Dover. But what started off as an enjoyable evening went quickly downhill.
"We went along not really sure what to expect and couldn't believe it when the band
started and all these people got up and danced in lines. I thought it was fantastic
that there was a way to dance to the music I enjoyed listening to so much. So as
any young gal would do, I thought 'if those people can do it so can I'. I got up
and tried to follow someone - which any linedancer will tell you is almost impossible.
When the song finished, and I left the floor a woman who was watching pulled me to
one side and instead off offering me some helpful advice she said: "You have no rhythm
and will never be able to dance. Line dancing takes a lot of practice and you have
two left feet. You really ought to stay off the floor". I was really upset about
this and I didn't dance again for a long time"
Justine was given the details of another club in Dymchurch called the Red Bandana. They decided to give it a try and received a warm welcome. However, Justine still felt shy about taking to the dance floor despite her feet itching to dance. "I really wanted to learn so I took a video camera to the club and recorded some of the dances. I then spent hours watching the tapes and began to learn the steps. This went on for some time, each month I learnt a few more, Tush Push, Cowgirl Twist, County Line, & Ain't going down." Justine was managing to hold her own with the simpler routines when her life was suddenly turned upside down. She became pregnant, but her joy turned to horror as it was revealed that she had developed pre-eclampsia, a potentially fatal blood-pressure disorder.
"I was given two weeks to live" she recalls. "Our baby was dying and I needed an
emergency caesarean. This was terrifying for both of us. John had already lost two
wives to cancer and was now facing the possibility of losing our unborn child and
me." "We both survived though. Natalie was born on July 24th 1997, one day before
my birthday. She weighed just over 3lb and had to stay in an incubator. I didn't
get to hold her when she was born and didn't see her for two days. These were the
hardest days of my life, expressing milk for a child I couldn't hold, in a room full
of newborns."
It was 18 months after giving birth before Justine felt she could venture out again. Unable to find a beginners class she went to an intermediate club. "My confidence was zero but I stayed all night and refused to sit down. Every week I brought sheets home and practiced in the kitchen. It took six months before the instructor taught something that I actually got. It felt great" Later that year a couple of friends who had been going to western socials asked Justine if she could teach them what she knew. She agreed and went on to hire a hall. "It felt weird teaching dances I had only just grasped myself but they enjoyed it, and it was good practice for me. Then out of the blue one evening I turned up to a class full of eagerly awaiting villagers wanting to have a go" It appeared that someone in the village had mentioned the new letting so Justine was faced with another dilemma. "I should have walked away, but then I am a glutton for punishment, I walked in feeling very sick and taught county line cha cha, it took all of two hours but that was it, Dust Dancing was born".
So it appears that Justine has gone from having apparently no rhythm and two left feet, to an instructor in the space of a couple of years.
That's by no means the end of the story, This is just the start:
It was at these early lessons that Justine met, now best friends Nora & Eddina, who were mainstays during the clubs evolution. They helped her with the classes as it was from day one they decided to cater those new to the pastime
"I remember how hard it was trying to join a class already running, I wanted to help people learn the basics so that they could join intermediate classes without the disappointments I had" she says.
Justine then set about training for exams and is now a fully qualified National Dance Instructor with the C.W.D.C. "exams are never easy, but if a jobs worth doing it worth doing properly, I love to learn and the teachers exams were a great experience. it gave me lots more confidence to teach knowing that I am qualified to do it right".
In 
2002 Justine and John married, they held a huge western themed church wedding,
with most of the community joining them to see this wonderful event. "We had 14 bridesmaids
and page boys, all dressed in western outfits, that John & I made. John, his best
man, our driver, and all the ushers were in western attire. It was like something
from an old movie. I walked down the isle to Shania Twain's 'Your still the one'
in a beautiful long and rather tight fitted dress".
It was 2003 when Justine's life took a new course, she was approached by a member of the 'New Romney Skateboard Park Fundraisers' asking her if she could put on a country dance to raise some money. This was something she could get her teeth into and Justine accepted the challenge. "I was so nervous, as I had no experience with booking live entertainment, I was on the phone talking to people and sorting out licenses, then I was given a card with a name on it 'Scott Vallance' from NAM agency. with nothing to loose I called. He arranged for Billy Bubba King to perform for us, never having heard of him I sold it on Scott's recommendation".
Well the evening was a total success and Justine's reputation was growing fast, more suggestions came in including holding regular socials, but with a young family and commitments at home the decision wasn't easy. She always had full support from her husband, but just how far can you push a new marriage? Justine was now teaching twice a week with beginners & intermediate levels, she realized that holding a regular dance would take a lot of time, time that she enjoyed with her family. "Natalie was still quite young but was now at school, so that freed up day times John and I talked it over and I started making enquiries. Scott was a god send, he helped me with everything from bands and playing times, to the best way to decorate a hall and lay out tables".
The socials were a huge hit with acts including Dave Montana, and Gary Leonard performing her few friends from the classes turned into 50 plus country music fans from other clubs. Justine Nora & Eddina realized that a bigger venue was needed to expand this growing business. Off to work again for her and a new venue was found this was the invention of 'The Spirit of the South Country Music Club'.
Unfortunately Justine at this time was having a lot of problems with some other locals not really happy with her seemingly overnight success, Clubs and instructors in the area who had been running for a lot longer were not amused by her whirlwind jump from linedance novice to qualified instructor and club hostess. "I took all kind of stick when starting up the club, and still do really. I have learnt to live with it now, I didn't go out looking for any of this, an opportunity arose and I took it, I could have walked away all those years ago in the little village hall full of strangers but I walked in (shaking) wouldn't you do the same? Maybe not, but that's what makes me who I am, like it or not I love a challenge, especially when someone says I cant. You have to remember I am a Leo".
2006 and Justine is a thriving business woman. Now taken three OCR qualifications in Web Design and runs classes three times a week, gives up her time to teach Brownies and local school children, not to mention looking after her now 9 year old daughter, who is growing faster than Justine would like. Justine now hosts festivals and Choreographer workshops, all of which you can see on the spirit of the south website.
2006 brought another year of hard choices and illness, for Justine. in September she decided to take a course of Pilates yoga type exercise but didn't mention that from birth she has dislocating hip joints. during one of these lessons something moved wrong and she was left in agony with what was later found to be a trapped nerve in her lower back, leading to all sorts of other problems. This was really bad timing as also in September Justine had organized Sunday Socials in Ashford, her Festival was fast approaching and she had been invited to demonstrate linedance in Paris. "September & October were really hard for me, I was in so much pain and could hardly walk, I even took some of my classes sitting down calling steps because I couldn't move my legs properly. It was December before I finally saw a consultant, he said I need an operation to free the nerve. Everyone was so supportive though and the show must go on, before the Paris trip I was taking three or four pain killers every few hours to keep the pain at bay, but I got through it, and it was worth every minute”. It took almost two year and two operations for Justine to be fully well again, but she didn’t stop working and even took on yet another college course during this time.
2007 now and Spirit of the South has moved again to another larger venue, in Ashford, Justine is proud to say that she welcome between 100 and 150 people through the door, not bad in only three years. but she has worked tirelessly at it. Spirit has become a full time occupation and considering she is not paid a wage for doing it that is no mean feet. Justine walks a very tight rope between family life, work and pleasure, but they do somehow blend into one another. She says "Country music and linedance has never been just a hobby, it is a way of life. When the bug gets you, you can't escape. Line dancing brings people together, complete strangers meet on the floor and become friends"
2007 and Natalie now 10 years old and joining Justine & John on the dancefloor the couple make for two very proud parents, what a wonderful 10 years they have had, the ups and downs of health and family plus the pleasure and upset of running the Spirit and keeping up to date with all the latest fads and crazes on the dancefloor, in that time taking exams for dance and going back to collage to study web design, not to mention the help she gives her mother with Bobbie - Ann's western wear, and spare time given to school children, you would think her to be constantly tired, but to the contrary. Justine is a lively and outgoing person, who thrives on others company, her wit and enthusiasm is compelling. Always surrounded with friends and warm feeling for all. Holding no grudges with those who have scolded her but finding that their negativity just pushed her harder to succeed, and she will always thank them for it. With the love and support from John and her family I believe Justine still has a lot to offer the world and I look forward to meeting her again in a few years to see where she will be. I'll leave the last works to her.
"I just hope that people will see that it is possible the achieve the seemingly impossible - even with two left feet and no rhythm - If a challenge arises take it, with both hands, Love with all your heart, keep your friends and loved ones close, as they are your pillow if you fall.
I hope this will inspire you to go on a do good things, Keep on dancing folks, You never know where it will take you."
