Sydney Francis served on the Latin American Committee from the early days to the time of his death in 1998. Nicknamed 'honest Syd', this fair-minded man, so full of fun and kind, is remembered fondly by all who knew him. Here are the thoughts of two people who knew Sydney very well.

I knew Sydney Francis both as a personal friend and of course very much as a committee member. We worked together on many committees and we tried to particularly help the development of Latin American dance, and later of Disco dance.

Of course, we both loved Ballroom dancing too, but at the time when we were both growing into the National scene of committee work and development, Latin American dancing was our baby. That baby had to be nursed and developed and Sydney, along with many of us, devoted hours of time to developing technique and putting it into language which could be easily understood and worked on by students of dance. Subsequently, of course this work, of which he was so much a part, has become the international technique on which the examinations in Latin American have been based, and the development of the style as we know it today.

Sydney was always ahead of his time. He could see the potential of a figure, particularly if he watched a couple dancing a certain figure, he could see the next step and the next development of that figure, he could see how it could have more spins, turns or syncopation. His brain always worked so fast into creating variations, and this work of his was to become invaluable to competitors.

When Disco dance came on the scene he was with us right from the beginning. "Yes", he said, "this is going to be the next scene". He fought long and hard with me and Anne Lingard to get the ISTD and the BDC to accept that this was a form of dance which was not going to be swept away under the carpet or go away. Eventually the BDC and the Societies developed medal tests and allowed the youngsters to have an aim for their dancing.

Sydney and I were to run many competitions together to promote this Disco style of dancing. With hindsight and looking back, there was so much more we could have done, because it has proved to be that Disco dancing and its progression was to be the salvation of many dancing teachers and the profession. Sydney, with his extraordinary foresight, could see that. He would often share ideas into committee work, which at the time would seem revolutionary and impossible, but within a few months they would be taken up and developed.

We miss him a great deal, for his sense of humour and his everlasting longing for smoked salmon sandwiches and his glass of wine. His contribution to Latin American dance is everlasting and many couples who trained with him are now training their own pupils in the same way.

Peggy Spencer MBE

I first met Sydney in 1950 when I was in a Ballet class at Stanley Jackson' s Studio in Loring Road, Whetstone, London N20 and Stanley asked me to open the door for Mr Francis.

Years later in 1967 I started to work for Sydney at Hendon Dancentre. Sydney was passionate about the school and spent most of his free time in the studio. Although he was, of course, famous as a competitive coach, he also enjoyed taking the beginners' classes and hosting the Advanced practise evening, playing the maracas in time to the records.

He always kept pace with the changing dance scene and was happy to introduce into his school any new dance craze. His studio was among the first to teach Saturday Night Fever (original format!) and Dirty Dancing.

He was always very involved with every aspect of the studio's weekly classes, dropping in on us all to see what we were teaching and to observe the progression of the pupils, even on several occasions joining in with the Keep Fit teacher's class, including floor exercises!

He had lots of tales to tell and often made us all laugh with his reminiscences.

It was always apparent that Sydney thoroughly enjoyed his dance world, from the beginners class to the top competitor, from examiner to adjudicator. As long as it was linked to dance he was happy.

He was always a larger than life character with an engaging personality who lived his life in and through dance.

Pat Woor