Our people

Lynn started dancing at the age of nine with her brother Keith Clifton. Later she won the British and European Latin Championships with her partner Alan Armsby and was a member of the British Team.  She is proud to be the auntie of Strictly Come Dancing stars Kevin and Joanne Clifton.

Following a successful period of teaching in the competitive scene, Lynn and Alan spent many years performing and teaching on cruise ships.  This work extended Lynn’s knowledge of other forms of dance and she became a successful choreographer on board some of the world’s finest cruise ships. 

Lynn opened her own school in the UK  in 1990,  and this is still successfully operating today. She became an IDTA examiner over 20 years ago and has had the pleasure and the privilege of examining in the UK and overseas. Lynn is a successful and respected teacher both in the UK and abroad and has successfully trained social dancers, competitors and many professionals in a variety of dance genres.

In 2010 after gaining a Masters Degree in Leadership and Management, Lynn began teaching full time at Buckinghamshire New University.   This involved developing and leading a unique BA in Dance and Performance which also produces many IDTA professionals.

Lynn left the University in July 2016 and was appointed to the IDTA Board of Directors in the same month.  She is passionate about dance at all levels, works extensively to promote the IDTA and support its members, and considers fairness and professionalism to be at the heart of her values.

Lynda first entered a dance school at the age of ten and attended various classes in ballroom and theatre subjects; eight years later she took her first IDTA Associate examination. In 1991 she became an Examiner in the Ballroom Branch, giving her the opportunity to travel around the UK and overseas.

She first lectured at Congress in 1996 and has since lectured at many Area meetings. Throughout these engagements she has enjoyed meeting other dance teachers who are also working to promote dance to the general public. She has also enjoyed working, as co-author with Lyndon Wainwright, on various commercial projects including the most successful Let's Dance published by Harper Collins in 2005. Lynda's own book Let's Rock 'n' Roll was first published in 2006; this technique is used for professional examinations. Further technical publications for IDTA have since followed, including Street Dance Guide, IDTA’s first syllabus and printed publication.

She bought her dance school in 1987 and ran a very successful and busy medallist school in Essex, for more than 26 years, teaching children from the age of three through to adults of all ages and abilities. Still backed by a brilliant team of assistants, she always gets great satisfaction from teaching anyone to dance. Lynda, currently serving as a member of both the Freestyle Faculty and the Latin Faculty, enjoys the work that involves a strong commitment to the Association and its members. The opportunity to develop this involvement further came in 2005 when she was first elected to the Board of Directors.