A lifelong love of ballroom has taken a 71-year-old dance teacher from local studios in north Wales to the set of a global pop icon — though she only discovered whose set it was minutes before the cameras rolled.
Denise Sides, who has spent six decades on the dance floor, said she believed she was auditioning for an “unknown artist” when she responded to a casting call for senior dancers. The project, she was told, would recreate a dance competition scene. What she did not know was that the artist behind the top-secret production was one of the most recognisable figures in modern music.
A Carefully Guarded Secret
Sides had signed up for television extra work through an agency and was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants. She later received confirmation that she had been personally selected by the artist — still unnamed — to take part.
The job, she said, was conducted under strict confidentiality. Transport to the filming location was discreet, and very little information was shared in advance.
Then, shortly before filming began, the secrecy dissolved in dramatic fashion.
“This young girl walks in, all dressed up, and she comes over and says, ‘Hi, I’m Taylor,’” Sides recalled. “I was like, no way. Oh my God.”
The production turned out to be for Opalite, a 1990s-inspired romantic comedy-style video created for a track from Swift’s latest album, The Life of a Showgirl. The video brought together a star-studded cast, many of whom had appeared alongside Swift on an episode of The Graham Norton Show in October.
Among those featured are Domhnall Gleeson, Lewis Capaldi, Greta Lee and a cameo voiceover from Cillian Murphy.
“She Was Lovely and So Talented”
Sides, who describes herself as a Swift fan, said the shock of the reveal has not worn off. “I still feel excited now remembering it,” she said.
According to the veteran dance teacher, Swift — who both sang in and directed the video — quickly put the performers at ease. She thanked the dancers for their time and offered guidance with clarity and warmth.
“She knew exactly what she wanted. She’d say, ‘try this, try that,’ and she was really nice about it,” Sides said. “Some can be a bit abrupt but she wasn’t. She was lovely and so talented.”
In the video, Sides wears a royal blue ballroom gown she has owned since turning professional in 1988. Swift noticed the outfit immediately. “I love your dress. It really fits the set,” the singer told her — a compliment Sides says she will treasure.
The 71-year-old ballroom dancer from Wales said she had no idea she had been cast in a Taylor Swift music video until ten minutes before filming.
A Career Highlight Decades in the Making
Despite a lifetime devoted to dance and years of acting experience, Sides considers the Swift production the defining moment of her career. When the video — filmed in November and released earlier this month — finally debuted, she said she was “gobsmacked.”
“You just can’t believe it’s you,” she said, describing the surreal experience of watching herself on screen alongside internationally recognised performers.
Keeping the secret proved difficult. Bound by confidentiality, she confided only in a few family members and a handful of students from her dance classes.
Inspiring Others to Take the Floor
Sides has run Dens Dance Studio since the 1990s and also leads inclusive workshops for people with disabilities. Teaching remains central to her life. “If I’m not teaching, I’m dancing myself,” she said. “That’s my happy place, my passion.”
She hopes her unexpected brush with pop stardom will encourage others — particularly older adults — to pursue their interests without hesitation.
“Maybe people will think, ‘Well, if Taylor chose her, why don’t we?’” she said with a laugh. “You’re never too old. It was an experience I will never, ever forget.”
For a dancer who has spent 60 years perfecting her craft, the moment may have come as a surprise — but it was clearly earned through a lifetime of dedication to the art she loves.