About Martina Burton

Origin: Berlin, Germany.

From the early age of 7 years, I trained as a Classical Ballet Dancer in the Berlin Dance Academy at the German Opera House in Berlin, under the very famous Russian dancer and teacher Tatiana Gsovski. I performed in several Ballet and Opera stage productions in house, but also in Guest Performances of ‘Aida’ with the Arena De Verona from Italy, and in a film production of Verdi’s’ Falstaff’. I also performed at the Philharmonie in Berlin at special Ballet and Classical Music Gala Productions.

I started Ballroom dancing in Berlin at Tanzschule Finck and my first teachers were Mr Hans-Georg Finck and his wife Gudrun Finck as well as Amateur World Champions Max Busch and Renate Hilgert.

From when I was 17 years old I enjoyed jobbing as a fashion model in fashion shows and also did photo shoots for magazines, catalogues and brochures; which was always welcome as some pocket money, especially when I was still competing as an Amateur and needed lots of money for all the dance lessons and dresses and shoes etc. I modelled for US sportswear companies such as Converse and Starter. Later I also modelled on fashion trade shows, and for dancewear companies such as Choice London and DSI. Most recently I had a photo shoot for a Couture Designer business in London and one picture famously ended up in Tatler Magazine.

I took teaching exams in both Ballroom & Latin Dancing in Germany, towards the end of my competitive Amateur career, in which I was winning several regional titles and was placed in the final of national championships. I also competed internationally in all major events around the world.

I turned Professional and continued to compete in Ballroom & Latin. I managed to establish myself with my German partner at the time, in the German Professional 10-Dance Final and reached the International Professional Rising Star Latin Semi Final and the US Open Professional Rising Star Semi Final.

Just before my move to London, I gained a Masters Degree in Sports Science and Educational Science at the Free University in Berlin, Germany.

In 1999 I moved from Berlin to London in order to further my knowledge and to have the opportunity to train with the best Ballroom and Latin dance teachers in the world. Here I found Michael as my partner and we started competing together in the Professional Standard section. Competing internationally and soon ranked around 50th in the World, we had the honour of becoming Australian World Representative 1999, finished in 29th place in our first World Championship, which kick-started our Professional dancing career together.

A few years later we switched and started to represent Germany in international championships.

Since my move to London, I have also been involved in designing & making of Couture Dancing dresses, having worked first at Choice London, then moved on to Dance Sport International London and then, after attaining a degree in Pattern Cutting & Design in London, founded my own company, MWKDANCEWEAR.COM.

I currently live, dance and work in London and teach classes and private lessons together with my husband Michael in and around London.