Nathan Conroy
Stomping to Success by Richard Cartwright
At age three in Gibraltar he was introduced to Martial Arts, 33 years later he is one of the leading lights in the universally acclaimed showstopper, Stomp. To realise that status Nathan Conroy has worked hard and been through the arduous and gruelling journey that is the world of dance. Now, aged 36, he misses the simple life and wants to learn how to drive! Nathan’s dad is former Gibraltar police sergeant Charlie Conroy, perhaps better known to some as the director of the martial arts club at Wellington Front. Through his dad’s initial tuition at such an early age Nathan sampled what was to become a way of life, first in martial arts and then dance. “My dad was a great inspiration and from the age of three I continued in the club and later broke into street and break dance. I spent one year at university doing dance but felt it wasn’t quite what I was looking for. I think I learned more during that time from going to the university’s library and watching videos than from what I was being taught.” Nathan opted out of university and spent the next four years in dance schools up and down the UK. “I moved to the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and that’s where I learned my trade. It involved contemporary, ballet and more and it was hard: they try to break you down even to the point of making you cry, but in the end you learn. That’s what you’re there for.” In Gibraltar Nathan was into break dance (now more commonly known as street dance) which was all the rage at the time and put together a dance group called Public Demand which performed at Miss Gibraltar shows and
36
the Benidorm Song Festival in Spain. “I did a lot of solo dance and body popping and that’s where my training in Martial Arts helped and still does in my work with Stomp.” In the UK Nathan auditioned for a dance group called the Phoenix Dance Company. “Yes, I was the only white guy in the group. It was an Afro Caribbean outfit with that kind of theme about their dance. At first they weren’t too sure about me and worked me hard. They were being cruel to be kind sort of thing. Then we went on a tour of Northern Ireland and in a write-up in a local magazine or paper I was highlighted for my performance and that’s when
“
I did a lot of solo dance and body popping and that’s where my training in Martial Arts helped and still does in my work with Stomp
”
I was told, ‘now you’re one of us.’ That gave me great confidence.” Nathan didn’t become complacent and kept on seeking opportunities to better his skills and further his career. He worked freelance for the Yorkshire Council visiting schools. He attended many auditions including some for top pop artists. “I went to an audition for a Spice Girls video and we were lined up, just like in these reality shows where they say ‘You, five step forward and the rest can go.’ I was chosen for that and I also worked with Wyclef Jean and the Fugees. I went on to make four short films for Channel 4 and was involved in a video to promote a male cologne for DKNY in the mid-’90s.” A tough workload lay ahead for Nathan. Joining another outfit called Seloy Dance Company. “The thing with staying put with one company is that you become moulded and I didn’t want that. There are some companies that are more creative and I prefer this. I then toured Denmark and the UK and did break dance, urban classicism — a fusion of break dance and classical — toured the UK once more and then… I joined 2,000 others to audition for Stomp!” This was the ultimate goal — the great opportunity Nathan was longing for, joining the world famous Stomp experience. “After the initial stages, I made it to the last
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2010