Catch-up with Josh Talbot
This week, Linedance NZ had the pleasure of catching up with Josh Talbot, a much-loved line dance personality here with New Zealand line dancers. Josh is a frequent guest at various venues across the country, where he leads immensely popular workshops. His choreography is reaching worldwide, with one of his recent dances, "3:16," reaching the top 5 in global charts, as well as here in NZ on LDNZ.
As part of our LDNZ "Meet & Q&A Sessions" series, we had the chance to ask Josh the questions our line dance community has been eager to hear. From his journey into line dancing to his favourite dances and music, Josh shared insightful and heartfelt stories, offering us a deeper understanding of his remarkable career and personal experiences.
We hope you enjoy getting to know Josh Talbot as much as we did!
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Joshua Talbot, but please call me Josh. I’m 37 and started teaching at 15 when I first took over my mother’s class. I loved every bit of it. The first dance I taught was “Shout” by Michael Vera-Lobos, which wasn’t an easy one to start with. I practised for hours, mastering both calling and dancing before teaching it to the class. I still love that dance to this day.
Two years ago, my connection to New Zealand deepened when I married my wife, Sally, who is originally from Middlemarch. I met Sally in Ashburton while running a workshop for Roger and Rayma White. She was attending with her mother, Carol McKenzie, who now teaches in Christchurch.
I have two daughters, with another girl on the way, due on November 8th. Soon, we’ll be able to start our own little line dance team!
I run line dance classes full-time in Sydney, offering sessions ranging from one to four hours, catering to everyone from brand-new beginners to upper-intermediate dancers.
How did you get into line dancing, and when did you start?
At the age of 2, I had no choice but to tag along to my parents' line dancing classes, socials, gatherings, hoedowns, and public demonstrations. It was a family affair, and I like to refer to it as our own version of the Von Trapp family from The Sound of Music. Just as the family sang in the movie, our whole family danced. My three siblings, my parents, and eventually even my grandparents, aunties, and uncles joined in. The car was loaded with sound equipment, the kids, and off we went. Most of the time, I’d just play hide and seek outside, looking forward to a red fire engine drink (raspberry lemonade).
What's your favourite dance of now and/or of all time?
My all-time favourite dance is “Dizzy” by Jo Thompson-Szymanski. I’m not sure why exactly—maybe it’s the song, or perhaps as a youngster, I could add lots of turns. Now that I teach, I don’t spin as much since I’m always being watched by my students. But I love sharing this dance with others, and it’s still my favourite to this day.
What's your favourite song?
This is a tough one! I’m not sure I can pick just one, but “Brown Eyed Girl” comes to mind. As a child, I used to hate singing. I would even pretend to sing by opening and closing my mouth in primary school to make it look like I was participating. However, this one song, my mother [Julie Talbot] would play in the car on the way to and from classes, and she would sing most of it. When it reached the part where they sing “sha la la la la la la la,” I’d chime in with a little “Ti Da,” and that was it. This song holds a special place in my heart. I don’t usually listen closely to the lyrics of songs, but I always joke that when I do sing, I’m the one who gets the lyrics right! That said, I love relaxing to “River Flows in You” by Yiruma. It’s my go-to song when I want to unwind, close my eyes, and think of nothing.
Cowboy boots or comfortable shoes?
I love a good pair of cowboy boots. However, I used to wear RM Williams riding boots most of the time. I had to get them custom-made with a leather sole because back then, sneakers in my size (13) were hard to find. In recent years, though, a new variety of dance sneakers has come onto the market, and now I wear those 98% of the time.
Music preference: Country or Pop (or both)?
I love my country music, but I’m going to sound old here—I still prefer 90s and 2000s country. Think Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina... The new stuff is good, but like everything, it’s evolved. However, when it comes to line dancing, I don’t care if the music is country, pop, or instrumental.
Favorite dance buddy?
Do I have to pick just one?! As an instructor, I have the privilege of dancing with many people, both on and off stage. Everyone brings something unique to the floor. If someone can throw in some extra spins, I’m always game to match them or introduce them to a turn. But even with beginners, I get so much joy helping them that even the most basic routines can be fun.
What club(s) do you attend?
Are we talking about nightclubs or line dancing clubs?! I’ve never really been one for the nightclub scene—I much prefer line dancing. You should see me at a disco club… as the saying goes, “white men can’t dance”—that’s me! My friends used to invite me out clubbing, but I was usually already booked for line dancing.
Proudest moment in your line dance journey?
There are a few proud moments. One that stands out is winning a Crystal Boot Award in 2017 for “Perfect” with Alison Johnstone. I remember playing the song for Alison when I was in Perth, and we both got so hooked on it that I missed my flight back to Sydney because time slipped away from us. I’m also proud of the club I built—J B Talbot Line Dancers. I started with three beginner students and around 15 intermediates. Now, I get about 150 new beginners every six months when I do beginner enrolments. They don’t all stay, but I love watching the ones who do grow and become confident line dancers. It feels like watching your kids grow up—I’m a proud dance dad!
Do you have any funny little line dance stories, fun facts, or snippets?
Once, while visiting line dance friends in Queensland, we had a great night of dancing followed by a few drinks. I may have had one too many because I fell asleep in the hotel room and woke up needing to use the bathroom. Groggily, I opened what I thought was the bathroom door, stepped inside, and let it close behind me. I quickly realized I was not in the bathroom—I was in the hallway! I turned around, but the door was locked behind me. Now, you might think, “Just go get an extra key,” but here’s the catch—I was only wearing my boxers!
The last thing I wanted to do was walk through the hotel lobby in my underwear. I tried knocking on my friends’ doors, but no one answered. I saw some businessmen getting into the lift and thought, “I can’t let them see me like this!” So, I decided to take the fire stairs instead. Big mistake. I was on the 14th floor! Halfway down, I realized the stairwell doors were locked behind me too, so I had to go all the way down to the street level—at 9 a.m. in Brisbane's CBD—wearing nothing but my boxers.
Once I reached the lobby, I tried to explain what happened to the front desk, and do you know what they asked me? “Do you have any ID?” To top it off, after all that, I still needed to use the bathroom!