My friend Kevin Berry, the arts journalist, has died at the age of 68, following the diagnosis of a brain tumour last year. Although he covered many aspects of the entertainment industry including theatre, music-hall and cabaret and had two left feet, dance was his passion. His particular loves were contemporary and ballet, but his expertise encompassed styles as diverse as clog, tap, aerial and hip-hop.
Kevin was born in Mexborough, South Yorkshire, son of Jessica and Harold. His father had been a Butlins Redcoat and then worked at the Sheffield Telegraph and the Sheffield Star as circulation manager and head of sales. Kevin got his first typewriter at four and always wanted to be a journalist, but his father said he wasnt tough enough. So he trained as a teacher and started writing in his spare time. It wasnt until he was 50 that he was able to take it up full-time.
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