Alan & Vibeke & Carmen & Sirena
A Dancing Dynasty: An Interview with Allan Tornsberg
Report by: Didio Barrerae
In a career that spanned two decades, Alan Tornsberg remained at the very pinnacle of competitive Latin dancing. Partnered by three of the most successful ladies of the modern era, his success and popularity were enviable. Along the way, he captured world titles in Amateur Latin and Professional Showdance, although the World Professional Latin title eluded him.
We spoke with Alan last year at Blackpool and publish this interview on the eve of his move to New York City a city he said in 2003 was somewhere "one day later in my life I will want to come to ...."
Perhaps not always the most traditional of competitors, Alan was always a major influence on trends and directions for Latin dancing.
DB: Allan Tornsberg you were a finalist in the world for how many years?
Allan: When I started to dance internationally my first Blackpool was 1987. I made finals the first time '89 and '90 and since then I did one year professionally the following year in the finals, so basically since '89 or '90.
DB: Let's go back a little bit. At what age did you start dancing?
Allan: When I was 7 years old I went to the local dance school to watch my sister do Jazz, she did not really dance just played once a week and did it just for fun. I just thought it was so interesting and I was there every week to watch it. Then I was begging my Mom to let me start dancing and she thought it was one of those things that would drift over, because I was playing football, had a guitar and wanted to play it but then would stop after a week with those. But I kept begging her. Then the following year I started, when I was 8. Then I danced for 10 years in this local dance school and developed more and more, and got more caught up by the disease you could say. Then when I was 21, I started with ballroom and that is when it all happened, when I moved to London.
DB: So what country are you from?
Allan: I am Danish. I was born just outside of Copenhagen in 1966 I moved to London in 1987, lived there for 14 years and now I'm back in Denmark so I'm living somewhere called Hellerup on the outskirts of Copenhagen. It's a very nice area.
DB: And when did you meet Vibeke Toft, she's the first partner that I clearly remember seeing you dance with?
Allan: She was 18 when she moved to London. She lived there two years before I came. I had a good friend in Denmark who also had a girlfriend who also moved to London. She started getting to know me and introduced me to Vibeke. And as I was looking for a partner I asked if she wanted to try-out. At that time Vibeke was really good she was third in Denmark I was not even making semifinals in Denmark. But she knew that I was going to be world champion. I think maybe the only one who knew at that time. I asked her if she wanted to be a world champion with me and if she did not, it would not matter it would be okay, then I would just hire somebody else to be world champion. She kind of liked my cockiness and my confidence so we started to dance together. She was definitely much better than I was.
DB: When you guys danced together it was completely animalistic, it had a complete look to it. I don't think I've seen anyone dance so wild, I hope I'm saying it right. Wild, almost out of control - yet controlled. Was this something that you guys developed together?
Allan: I think that we both had a very passionate feeling for dance. We were both completely mad about Latin American dancing. I think it was in our blood, it was our instinct we used at that time. Vibeke is a very animalistic dancer. It was basically what our hearts told us that we had to do at that time.
DB: Even though you guys had other partners, that was the partnership that everyone knew. How come you guys broke up?
Allan: We danced for 10 years we were very, very close, we were like brother and sister and we loved each other so much. It was a very intense partnership and I guess that's what people like as well. They could see there was that special chemistry between us. You can't hide that or repeat that in another partnership, it's just a special combination. We were aware of that but we chose to split-up, because we ourselves were bored with dancing. We felt unchallenged, we felt we almost agreed too much and did not have a clear way to develop together, so we both thought we would try to develop in new partnerships. It was an experiment and we both said that if it did not work we would get back together again.
DB: And you did. At that time it became kind of partner swapping. I remember some of the judges were not too happy with all the partner swapping that was going on. You were dancing with another's partner, and the other danced with someone else's partner. I don't quite remember how it all goes. How many partners did you have after Vibeke? Before you got back together with her again?
Allan: Two. I danced with Carmen and I danced with Serena.
DB: Then you came back with Vibeke for a little bit. Why?
Allan: I did not really come back with Vibeke. First of all this is the story. When I retired, it was because I felt then everybody knew who Allan Tornsberg was and who he was in Latin American dancing. And my message has been clear for several years. I felt that I was kind of done in this world. I felt I was branded in this world and I wanted to challenge myself in a new way, and until I gave up this kind of competitive dancing, I knew I would not be starting on something else. As we all know this kind of competitive dancing challenges you and it demands 100% attention so you cannot start elsewhere while you are doing it. So it was basically to get started on something else. So when I explained this to Serena she was very upset because she had only made the finals for two years. For her it was a dream come true, and she was not finished. So I said to her I will continue until you are finished but she did not want that because obviously she could feel I was done and it would be unfair. She considered those terms in a partnership, we were very adult about it, and she said she would like to find a partner in order to fulfill herself. She felt if she just continued doing shows with me, she would perhaps end up bitter one day because she did not make the right choice for herself. She chose to go her own way and try to find a partner and I said to her that it would be very difficult. We both knew that. But she still wanted to do that. I was stuck there without a partner in the middle of a tour for Passion, the show I did with William Pino and Allessandra Bucciarelli. We then both said that the only opportunity I had would be to start with Vibeke. Basically Vibeke took over Serena's place in that show. We worked for about half a year and I could feel Vibeke was not fulfilled competition-wise, she wanted to come out and do another competition. I did not really have that urge. But I really wanted Vibeke to have the experience and cherish that for the rest of my life. She is a very special person to me and I thought it would be very nice to go out and do a finale performance. So we agreed to do one competition and that was the European in St. Petersburg.
DB: And what about Carmen? Tell us a little bit about your partnership with Carmen?
Allan: Carmen and I, our partnership was the most successful of all of them from the business point of view. We were very successful in Japan well basically all over the world. Our results were going with turbo speed and as we finished we were very close to winning. I know people liked that combination too. But it was a rollercoaster. Carmen's and my personality did not match whatsoever. She's a wonderful person, beautiful girl; we were just totally opposite. It was very hard for both of us to dance that partnership. We were basically using each other.
DB: Let's talk a little bit about personal life, because I know when you dance you're close to these girls, usually partners date and/or marry. I don't think you've dated any of your partners. There was a rumor, though you don't have to say who, that you were dating someone that was competing with you in the finals, Is it true that you were dating while you were in amateur and she or he was also on this final?
Allan: I have never dated any competitors or opponents. Of course, there have been some interesting, what would you call it ........ ?
DB: Affairs, perhaps?
Allan: I would not even call it affairs. There's been some chemistry between some of us, but not really interesting for readers, I think.
DB: Do you have a partner or are you involved with anyone at the moment?
Allan: It's not actually true that I didn't date my partners. I was dating Vibeke when we danced together, for about one year. Then we both found out I was gay. She actually told me. So what was the question again?
DB: Is there's someone you were dating at the time or are dating now?
Allan: Not at the moment I'm not involved with anyone. I'm very busy by myself I think I'm a quite selfish person. It's very important for me at the moment to focus on me. There was a time when I was desperate to get into a relationship with somebody. I really felt I needed that in my life. At the moment if it comes, it comes. If it doesn't it's fine. It's very important to focus on yourself, if you're happy with yourself in your own company. You will be a very attractive person. That way maybe you can find the right person. Of course, I believe life is about sharing between two people caring for each other. It would be wonderful if one day I found the right guy. I'm kind of done with the hanky-panky stuff. It's not enough for me anymore. I want more out of life, and more fulfillment within myself.
DB: There's a lot of gay men in this industry, we both know; and is it difficult sometimes when you get out there, the judges are looking for that man/woman relationship, I hear it sometimes. When they know you're gay do you get labeled? Do you think they have a hard time being out there marked as gay? Do you think it's difficult for a gay man to make it to the top?
Allan: I think it's a very important and interesting question. Because as I've been around in this world since age 7. There has been a tremendous development exactly on the subject. Of course there were as many gays at that time, but they were not out in the open. Now it is so OK to be gay in this world so there are not many gays in the closet around. First of all, my opinion is that you have to be who you are on the floor and off of the floor. That must be everyone's interest to see what kind of personality you have. You should not change anything. At the same time Latin American dancing is what we are doing. First of all, dance is about expressing the music with your body. In Latin American dancing we have to study the music within a culture that suggests men chasing women. The music does not suggest gay dancing, I totally believe it is the story about a man and a woman but I can still be gay on the floor, everybody can still be gay on the floor portraying a Latino guy. I think we can find that deep down in our souls. I think that's what it's about like theater you don't act you live that role.
DB: You don't think there is a slight discrimination when they find out you are gay?
Allan: No, I don't really know and I don't really care about this, nor think any dancer should care about this. If there are these close-minded people it must be their problem.
DB: So what are you doing now? Where are you going to go next?
Allan: I'm establishing myself in Denmark. I was very tempted to go to New York. I love that city and it was kind of between New York and Copenhagen. At the moment, I'm establishing myself in Copenhagen perhaps one day later in my life I will want to come to New York as well and open something there. I am working on opening some schools. I cannot say here in which countries but it's in Europe. I basically train some of the best couples at home and in the world. I'm teaching in Denmark. My dream is to open my own theater, Latin American theater and to have my own dance company that would be wonderful for me. That is going to cost a lot of money so I would need to find an investor.
DB: Was there anything you would have done differently in your career if you had the chance to do it over again, and any regrets?
Allan: Not at all. I am so happy and fortunate to have had all these gifts which I've had. I think I've been very, very lucky in my career. I'm very appreciative of that.
DB: Do you think not having a World professional title means anything or was the experience just good enough?
Allan: I have a World professional title. A World Champion in Show Dance. Latin American Show Dance and I'm a very competitive person by instinct or by nature. As I was competing I was dreaming so much for winning the World Championship. After I retired that competitiveness is gone, I'm not competing anymore. But since I have retired, I have found out I do really think I was the best.
DB: What would you say to your pupils or students or anyone reading this interview to inspire them from your experiences.
Allan: I think not just in dancing but life in total. I think life is about opportunities and choices. You have opportunities all the time but you don't have to make the opportunities they will come to you. It's about you choosing. I always found myself having to choose from my heart or from my head. Always follow your heart; don't follow your head. That is what I would say.
DB: Who was your favorite, favorite partner?
Allan: I think the ladies in Latin were all fantastic and they are all individually good and gifted. I feel Vibeke is like my sister and she's very close to me and I love her dearly, but Serena fulfilled my heart totally dancing-wise. She's actually a wonderful person and I never experienced a "dance orgasm" on the floor except dancing with Serena. The first dance with her, I did not have a trial, we just knew we had to dance together so we agreed to dance together. After the first time we danced together we both totally broke down and cried because it felt so good, I think that is when you know you've found the right partner.
DB: Can you explain what do you mean by "felt so good" what was so special about Serena?
Allan: If you're a good dancer you have an instinct. A feeling, a kind of picture, a totally clear image in your mind about what it is dancing is about and with the right partner what feels so good is when that picture, or that feeling or that image, whatever, is totally fulfilled. What I had in mind first of course was the way she looked, I knew that before I got in to dance with her. I liked her dancing by look but that does not come into it when you dance. That's when you watch the video and you hear the comments, results and all that, but the feeling in the way she touched, her body weight, her eyes when she looks at you. Her response if I do something and she responds. It's either exactly what you would expect or so totally not what you would expect but so much more than you would expect. And what she gives you back is so much more than what you expected. It's very difficult to explain but I just know that I was just brought to tears when I danced with her because she felt so good.
DB: Thank you very much it was a very interesting interview. I am glad you cleared up some of the stuff I'm sure people wanted to know.
Allan: Thank you.