In 1996, he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to Dance (Who is Who in Public Life in Australia 1997/98).For 34 years he was President of Comdance Inc. (aka the Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing – the CSTD). He became      Chairman of the Australian Dancing Board, President of VicDance Inc., Vice Chairman of the Pacific Council of Dancing and Australian delegate to the World Dance Council and the international DanceSport Council. He was made a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute in 1975.

He is credited with “literally saving the Society” (Dance Australia, May, 2015) by restoring it to financial stability and then steering it to an unprecedented period of growth and prosperity by expanding its activities and influence beyond Australia and throughout South East Asia, to Malaysia, Singapore, China, Philippines, Thailand and Canada.

Les Newman is also remembered for his part in creating the hit Australian TV show, That’s Dancin’, which ran on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) between 1989 and 1990, hosted by Paul Newman (no relation) and Maureen Delacey. The series showcased the best amateur and professional dance couples in Australia competing against each other in categories as diverse as Traditional and Modern Ballroom, Jazz, Rap and Rock & Roll, it was a trailblazing forerunner to later programs like ''Dancing With The Stars'' and was the ABC’s top rating show ever in the highly competitive Sunday at 7.30 timeslot (The Age, Green Guide, August 17,1989, ‘Young Dancers Set Auntie on Her Toes’).

He was presented with the AOTD’s Dancer of the Year Award for in 1990/91, the Golden Brolga for Outstanding Service to Dance by the Australian Dance Board in 1993, and the Appreciation Award of the Singapore International Ballroom Dancing Championships in 1995. He has been described as an “icon of the dance industry”<ref>Dance Australia magazine and a “legend”.

In October 2015, Comdance created the Leslie P. Newman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in his honour.

 

Early life

Les Newman was born in Collingwood, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Australia. He was educated at University High School in Parkville and gained a Bachelor Of Commerce degree from Wisconsin University.

As a teenager, he played violin in Newman’s Dance Band, a swing band that featured his father, Walter, and all his elder brothers, Clive, Claude, Frank and Harold, plus Lenny Dyson on drums. They cut a wax ‘single’ featuring two songs, ''How I Miss You'' and ''Silvery Reflections'', both composed and written by Walter Newman.

In 1951, Les Newman won the Victorian Society of Dancing Ballroom Championship. He then began a successful career in sales and marketing, most notably with English business systems firm, Kalamazoo. He later formed Leslie Newman & Associates, a company that ran a series of sell out seminars in Melbourne providing high level training in management and marketing to senior business executives for many years. He became a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute in 1975.

In 1976, he “somewhat reluctantly” agreed to accept nomination for President of the Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing, undertaking to perform the role for one year. Ironically, he held the position for a record 34 years, becoming becoming a Life Member in 1996.

 

That’s Dancin’ TV show

Les Newman was behind the 1989 creation of the pioneering television series That’s Dancin’, which ran for three years in prime time throughout Australia on the ABC television network. Filmed in Melbourne’s San Remo ballroom, it was co-produced by FMTV’s Brian Finch and Peter Regan and hosted by Paul Newman and Maureen Delacey. Each episode showcased dance couples in a competitive format, judged by a panel of professional experts. That’s Dancin’ preceded many similar shows worldwide, such as ''Dancing with the Stars'', ''Strictly Come Dancing''.

In 1989, The Age newspaper reported that the show was the ABC’s highest rating series in the Sunday 7.30pm timeslot. In 1991, it achieved the national broadcaster’s largest ever audience against Channel Nine’s perennial hit, Hey Hey, it’s Saturday.

In 1991, a live version of That’s Dancin’ toured theatres, concert halls and casinos in every state in Australia and attracted huge audiences. There was typically a 5,000 people waitlist for tickets to taping sessions of the show, as well as plans to expand the format to a That’s Dancin’ book and video and, reportedly, negotiations with a U.S. television network to create a local American version of the series. 

Such was the shock that questions were raised in Parliament.

The Hon. Dr. Marlene Goldsmith: "The ABC is treating the people of Australia with arrogance and contempt. Ballroom dancing is an increasingly popular sport and recreation for the people of Australia, as shown by the remarkably large - for the ABC - audience share which That's Dancin' has obtained in a difficult time slot. Yet the ABC is saying that all these viewers do not matter and that it has no responsibility to cater to their tastes. Surely the rationale for the existence of the ABC is to meet community needs that would otherwise be ignored. It may also have a responsibility to chase ratings, but That's Dancin’ is a success on both these counts.... I point out to honourable members that ballroom dancing is not only a sport; it is a social sport that everyone can enjoy. It is a social sport that is increasingly being seen to be enjoyed by more and more people. By not fulfilling its function of meeting the needs of and providing alternative programming for those who cannot see the programs of their choice on commercial stations, the Aus</sup>tralian Broadcasting Corporation is denying its mandate; it is not giving taxpayers a return for their dollar. There is absolutely no justification for the ABC's move as the program meets a particular need that is not met elsewhere and it is rated very highly. I am profoundly shocked by the cancellation of the program." (Hansard, NSW Government, May 5, 1992)

 

Legacy and tributes

“Les Newman is an icon in the dance industry”, wrote Diane Gepps, President, Comdance Inc., “By his retirement from the Presidency we were undoubtedly leader in Dance Teaching and Examinations not just in Australia, but throughout South East Asia.

“...In a world that thrives on drama and theatrics, I never saw him flustered and while he never shied away from dealing with difficult confrontations he did it with composure and authority ... Of all the adjectives to describe Les Newman that have passed through my mind, it is ‘integrity’ and ‘passion’ that dominate.

“He was often ahead of his time in being able to recognize future trends and opportunities and most significantly he had the confidence to try them.”

 

In October 2015, the Leslie P Newman Award for Outstanding Service to Dance was created to commemorate him; the inaugural winner was Gail Meade. (News Mail, November 2015)

 

Outside the performing arts, he successfully championed equal playing rights for women at prestigious Huntingdale Golf Club in Melbourne against a recalcitrant committee — his Pennant playing wife, Maureen, was among the club’s first Lady Members (rather than being mere Associates).

 

Les Newman is survived by wife, Maureen (former champion Ballroom and Latin dancer and teacher), and son, Michael (author and advertising creative director).

 

Valedictory

 

A few words about Les Newman:

Gentleman.

Raconteur.

 

Connoisseur.

 

Charmer.

 

Speechmaker (always without notes).

 

Mentor.

 

Manager.

 

Negotiator.

 

Traveller.

 

Musician.

 

Golfer.

 

Professional dancer.

 

Order of Australia medal recipient.

 

El Presidento, we called him.

 

A few words can’t define Les, not even a word as big as ‘unique’.

 

A few words won’t be enough, because his is a lifelong love story.

 

Starting 60 years ago. And not ended.

 

Les and Maureen’s love story is the greatest of his many, many triumphs.

 

Les took charge of life and he lived it with no regrets. (One more thing we could learn from him.)

 

Let’s celebrate with no regrets whenever we think of him.

 

That will say more about what he’s done for us than any words.

 

Finally, the ashes will be scattered in a place far away that’s special to Les and his family.

 

Thank you for being with us here today.