The future of Derry’s dances is under threat because women are outnumbering men at up to 30 to one, says a well known promoter.

Liam Bradley has been running charity dances for Trocaire for years, but he says women are now waltzing out the door because there are no men to take them out on the floor.

And while you’d think the rarely sighted male dancer would be in fox trot heaven, Mr Bradley says the opposite is true.

“It’s no fun,” he said.

“A lot of women want to dance with you, which is great.

“But you can’t keep them all happy.

“All you hear at the end of the night is ‘aww you never danced with me’.

“You get a lot of criticism.”

Mr Bradley says the situation has got so grave that women across Derry are taking up line dancing because it doesn’t require a partner.

“They are getting all dolled up and then they just have to sit like a wall flower.

“I’ve seen women leave the dances because there is no one to take them out on the floor.

“They’re all taking up line dancing instead.”

He is now appealing for the men of Derry to quick step it back into the dance halls.

“I want to see male dancers coming back.

“You don’t have to be able to dance.

“If you don’t know we can teach you.

“Dancing is in danger of dying out if we don’t do something quick.

“We’ve been having emergency meetings asking how can we solve this problem. I’m open to any suggestions."

The Trocaire dances are held once a month at the OAH Club in Foyle Street.

“The buses all stop in Foyle Street so use your free bus pass and come and join us,” added Mr Bradley.

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