A LOVE of dancing helped bring out the bubbly personality of Gwent Big Brother contestant Helen Adams - and it helped her conquer twin problems of shyness and dyslexia.

That's the view of Paul Waite, of Paul and Rhoda Waite School of Dancing, where the 22-year-old former dance champion teaches each weekday evening.

Yesterday, the Argus reported how stylist Helen's colleagues at Classy Cutz hair salon in Newport, where she works during the day, described her as an outgoing girl who likes to be the centre of attention.

But Paul said Helen, who is dyslexic, was shy when she first started going to the Cwmbran-based dance school as a teenager.

She took her first dance steps at the age of four when she took up ballet at a school in Newport, but then moved onto disco freestyle and later joined Paul and Rhoda's dance school.

"She was a little bit shy to start off with," said Paul. "But we knew she had it in her. She had a great personality, it was just getting that to come through. Then she came on in leaps and bounds."

Paul spoke of Helen's tremendous talent for dancing, and said her flair had helped her overcome difficulties with her dyslexia. "Dancing helped her to get over that - she found the dancing route and just went for it," he said.

Helen, who lives in Cwmbran, danced all over the country in different competitions, becoming Welsh champion and taking titles including Euro Dance, the biggest dance festival of all.

"Her competing career peaked when she was about 17 or 18-years-old, and she finished when she was on top," said Paul.

"Disco freestyle is quite physical dancing and people tend to retire from it at around the age of 20.

"Then they can go on to teach or do other things - some retrain to work on cruise liners, but Helen chose to go down the road of teaching."

Paul and his wife Rhoda had suggested Helen go into teaching, then Rhoda coached her through her qualifying exams. "She passed with flying colours," said Paul.

Now Helen teaches with the dance school each night -- sometimes for four hours at a time - and also travels with dancers to competitions at least one Sunday every month. "She is very dedicated," said Paul. "The children absolutely love her." Her pupils were told on Friday Helen had gone into the Big Brother house that day. Paul said: "They were ecstatic."

Five-year-old Lauren Taylor is hoping that Helen can lead her rivals a merry dance in the Big Brother house. Helen is the teacher of Lauren's disco dancing group which meets at Victoria Village Hall, near Abersychan. She became the first Welsh contestant to enter the famous house on Saturday.

Lauren, of Pisgah Close, Talywaun, said: "I want Helen to win because I like her. I will be watching it on television."

The dance group normally meets on a Tuesday evening. Lauren's mum, Amanda Blake, said: "Dancing was cancelled last week, and no-one knew why. Then Lauren brought the paper in on Saturday and she said, 'that looks like my dance teacher', and it was Helen."

Youngsters ranging from three to 14 attend the disco class doing dance routines to contemporary chart hits.

Lauren's favourites at the moment are made-for-TV popstars Hear'Say, S Club 7 and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

Mum Amanda, 29, thinks Helen has the personality to go all the way. "All the children love the dance classes. Helen is enthusiastic and energetic and really fit. The children love her."