Monsieur Pierre

Monsieur Pierre, or simply Pierre, was the professional name of Pierre Jean Phillipe Zurcher-Margolle, (born Toulon, France – died London, 1963). Pierre was a professional dancer and dance teacher: he was primarily responsible for introducing the Latin American dances to England, and for codifying them, and laying the groundwork for their use in competitions and in social dance. The system he and his colleagues developed became the basis for all Latin and American competitions held under the World Dance Council (WDC).

As a young man, Pierre's engineering studies at Zurich University were abruptly halted when he was struck in the eye by a tennis ball. This accident resulted in the loss of sight in that eye. After this accident he went to live in Paris where his spare time was spent in the night clubs where Cuban and other Latin immigrants enjoyed their music and dances. Pierre next worked in the French consular service in Liverpool, but was forced to resign when the eye strain began to affect the sighted eye. He moved to London, where he enjoyed ice skating and dancing. After World War I ended in 1918 he started on a career as a professional ballroom dancer. Although he spent the rest of his life resident in London, Pierre never gave up his French citizenship.

The rhythms which make Latin American dance popular were brought to Britain between the two World Wars. Pierre was already an accomplished dancer and teacher in the English ballroom style. In Latin dances, his repertoire first consisted of the Argentine tango, the Paso doble and the Samba.

For a number of years Pierre's studio was in or near Regent Street. Later, Doris Lavelle went to him to learn the tango. He quickly realised her potential and after training she became his next dance partner. They demonstrated as often as three nights a week at London restaurants, ballrooms and night clubs, of which there were many at that time. By the 1930s Pierre had moved more towards the Latin American dances, and in 1934 his full-page trade adverts featured the rumba. The studio stayed open all through World War II, and was a popular meeting place for the Free French fighters on leave in London.

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