Line dancers from all over the country descended upon Narrandera recently, turning the town into a lively festival of twirls and stomps.
Locals jumped in, mingling with the competitors, creating cherished memories and savouring the electric atmosphere.
Organisers extended a massive thank you to Corey Hammond and his culinary team at the festival venue the Narrandera Ex-servicemen’s Club for satisfying all those hungry dancers at the club’s Blue Apron Steakhouse.
They also extended a big shoutout to the Club Directors, Management and Events Director Jessica Baldwin and her fantastic team at the Ex-Servicemen’s Club for their stellar support in getting the two competitions off the ground.
The event featured two back-to-back Line Dancing Competitions. The first was a Solo, Duo, Trio, and Group event featuring both Non-Waltz and Waltz music. The second was a thrilling knock-off style competition, with competitors dancing their hearts out for placement and a slice of the prizemoney.
For those who wonder how Line Dancing competitors can be soloists – its simple!
Event directors Paul McQueen and Ian Trembath provide a choreographed dance months before the competition. Interested dancers learn the sequences, and when competition time rolls around, between four and six competitors hit the floor simultaneously, performing the choreography.
Solo doesn’t mean one person on the dance floor at a time, it refers to everyone’s interpretation of a dance sequence and judged alongside three or four other competitors. A harder job for the judges to score but they are experts at the job.
Competitors ranged from juniors under 17 to sprightly centenarians.
Prizemoney for the second competition was generously provided by Kick It Up Line Dancers and the Big Country Hoedown Event Directors.
Leanne and Russell Mullins supplied prize monies for the junior competitors in the first competition. Funding for infrastructure requirements was raised by many dancers and private individuals.
A heartfelt thank you was extended to everyone for their contributions, including Bandits Line Dancers from Wagga Wagga and Junee, Dare 2 Dance, Belts and Boots, Your Talent Team, Move It Sunraysia, Campbelltown Line Dancers and Hunter Range Line Dancers. Plus let’s not forget DJ/MC Darren Mitchell from Cheyenne on Queue Line Dancing.
Trophies were sponsored by Stephanie Perry for the juniors Rising Star Award and by Robyn from Campbelltown Line Dancers for the Shining Star Award. The Junior award won by the Henderson Sisters, the second by Craig Lloyd.
Off the floor, everyone is a bosom buddy, but the moment they step onto the competition arena, it’s game on for young and old alike – but done with heaps of fun and encouragement.
The judging panel, hailing from Griffith, Wagga Wagga, Tumut, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland, brought years of experience and talent. Scorers kept everything and everyone on track, with locals from Wagga Wagga, Junee and Alicia Robb from Leeton Removals lending a hand as well as Pat Klein from Sydney and Sue Stimpson from Forster. Every bit of effort was much appreciated.
As mentioned, the age range of competitors was extensive. Photos captured both the younger dancers and the older contingent in their 80s, all young at heart.
“It makes your heart sing to see all ages working together with no nasty comments, dummy spits, or difficult behaviour: just straight forward encouragement and inspiration, in some cases bringing a tear to your eyes,” a spokesman said.
“We’re already looking forward to doing it all over again next year! Same time, same place. We’re on the lookout for local sponsorship to make the next event even more spectacular.”
If you or anyone you know is interested in supporting this joyous gathering, please reach out to the Event Directors Paul McQueen (M: 0438 639 150) or Ian Trembath (M: 0421 665 112).
This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 8 August 2024.
