South Yorkshire Times, May 9th, 1970
Dancing His Way to Fame
A 19-years-old Swinton youth is currently working alongside some of the greatest names in show business. Peter Kuczmaida, of 3, Goodwin Crescent, left South Yorkshire for London two years ago, intent on making a name for himself among the bright lights of the dancing world. He succeeded and is at present appearing in the Tommy Steele Show at the ABC Blackpool. This show is the latest in a series of musical, films and spectaculars in which Peter has appeared.
He was one of the cast in the Oscar nomination “Goodbye Mr Chips,” film starring Peter O’Toole and Petula Clark, he has appeared with Liberace in a series of Sunday shows at the Palladium, danced for Kathy Kirkby for two summer seasons at Paignton and worked with Edward (“Callan”) Woodward in the West End hit musical “Two Cities”.
He took his “O” levels at Wath Grammar School but continued his dancing in the evenings. At 17 he won a scholarship to the Royal school of Ballet, but decided instead to “take a chance” and moved to London.
Within a few days he was spotted at an audition and worked a summer season at Butlins Holiday Centre, Filey. He was “discovered” and from then on has never looked back.
His Mother, Mrs. A. Kuczmaida, told me this week: “We are very proud of Peter; he always wanted to go professional and he has made a great success of his career so far.
“He won several teaching certificates in dancing and the scholarship to the Royal School of Ballet, but he said three years was too long a time to wait He wanted to go down to London and begin his career and earn some money.”
She added; “He is quite ambitious, I think he would be keen to join a dancing group like The Young Generation, but at present he is under contract. When he is older, he wants to form his own dancing school.”
Peter is due to visit Swinton in a fortnight.