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Tom Allen (PRESIDENT)
PROFILE: I originally got into dancing through the compulsory classes at intermediate school, and with the gentle persuasion of a couple of teachers and the lure of a 40:1 female to male ratio I joined the team to compete at the Intermediate Schools Dancesport Competition. After a couple of years of doing a little bit of dance here and there I got quite seriously into the sport during high school. There have been many highlights over the last 7 years of competitive dancing. Such dancing in front of thousands at the Australian Nationals and dancing on “So You Think You Can dance”. As someone currently compete in New Zealand and Australia I hope to be able to effectively represent the interests dancers in Auckland through Dancesport Auckland.
GOALS:
• Assist in creating a platform in New Zealand to enable top level dancers to compete at the highest levels internationally.
• Promote and foster a competitive environment in Auckland that encourages all Auckland dancers to attend regularly. As well as attracting “out of towners”.
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Becky Blackshaw (VICE PRESIDENT)
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Jo Nicholson (SECRETARY, DELEGATE TO NZDA NZ and NZDA NATIONAL SECRETARY )
PROFILE: Our family became hooked on dancing over 15 years ago and we have had fabulous experiences, meeting great people, travelling and watching our children (Rebecca and Mathew) rise through the dancing ranks. As a dancing parent I know the expense of helping dancers achieve their dreams and reach their potential. NZ has so much up and coming talent in all age divisions and we need to help support them here while giving them as much international exposure as possible. I am currently one of Auckland’s delegates to the national body of DanceSport New Zealand.
GOALS:
• Raise DanceSport Auckland’s profile and build and develop good relationships with businesses both locally and nationally to increase sponsorship opportunities for our dancers
• Organise intensive education opportunities in NZ for our dancers (NZ Dance Camp, Workshops, funding grants etc).
• Grow membership and represent the interests of our dancers nationally and foster good relationships between other dancing organisations
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Debbie Rist (COMMITTEE, DELEGATE TO NZDA NZ)
PROFILE: Dancing has been part of my life for many years both as a social dancer joining in classes for the sheer enjoyment of it and as a competitive dancer. I gave up competing some years ago but was invited onto the Dancesport Auckland committee in 2000. I’ve been a committee member since. At present my role includes Delegate to the National NZDA body and the whip-cracker who helps to coordinate the two NZDA competitions. I have two young children who hopefully one day will be dancers and I would dearly love to see a Dancing Body with strong affiliations to the rest of New Zealand that can support all dancers.
GOALS:
• Represent the interests of all dancers and foster good relationships between other organisations.
• Represent dancers at a national level.
• Provide opportunities through the activities of the committee for inclusion in dance related activities for dancers of all levels.
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Debbie Petterd (COMMITTEE)
PROFILE: I became involved in dancing 12 years ago when my son Blair decided that he wanted to learn to dance after seeing a demonstration at a School Disco. As any parent of a dancer knows, huge sacrifices are made by the dancer themselves as well as their family to help them meet their full potential. Any help that we as an organisation can give them to achieve this is hugely appreciated and will only help lift the standard of competitors that New Zealand produces.
GOALS:
• Raise the profile of Dancesport in the wider community
• Make it possible for as many of our top competitive couples to compete both nationally and internationally
• Increase membership among both competitive and social dancers
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Jerina Ford (COMMITTEE)
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Colin Boyd (COMMITTEE)
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Lisa Hing (COMMITTEE)
PROFILE: Initially (about a hundred years ago) I became interested in ballroom dancing when I was taken along by my, then, flatmate to a dance at the Mandalay and, after fumbling my way around the floor with various poor souls, was asked if I would be interested in learning more with a specific partner. At the time, and with very little knowledge of ballroom dancing, I thought: “Well, why not? …learn a few steps, how hard could it be?” Quite some years later I am still acquainting myself with how hard ballroom dancing can be but have fallen hopelessly in love with it So much so that I dragged my two eldest daughters along, one of whom still dances and, with a mother’s bias, is a delight to watch.
Being a dancer myself and also being a mother to a dancer, I am acutely aware of the time, energy and financial resources that are taken up in this sport. I am also extremely interested in the idea of dancers improving their whole dance experience and dancing skills through 1: use of other physical disciplines that complement dancing, for example pilates, yoga, strength/resistance/agility training; and 2: mentoring of younger dancers; and 3. regular workshops that might cover subjects other than technique such as preparation for competition, presentation (costumes, make-up), overseas travel - the pitfalls etc.
GOALS:
To help provide opportunities for dancers to enhance their skills; to support NZDA locally in any fundraising ventures and to help increase awareness of, through education, what NZDA is and the benefits of membership.
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Liz Wright (COMMITTEE)
PROFILE: Hi my name is Liz Wright and I have been dancing at Stepz Dance Studio for the last 7 years. Dance has become a huge part of my life and though I have never danced competitively (unless you count the kitchen team who competed in aprons at Mangere Bridge a couple of years ago) I am always there front and centre supporting our comp couples. I'm one of the loud ones.
I have made many friends over the years within the dancing community and I love that I am able to be involved and give back in this way.
I bring to the committee my organisational and financial skills as well as feeding the millions (or at least the judges).
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Chante Mueller (COMMITTEE)
PROFILE: Chante has been dancing since before she could walk and, with professional Ballroom and Latin American champions as her parents, the love of dance is in her blood.
Enjoying gymnastics and swimming competitively at early ages, Chante then quickly moved to taking official dance classes at the age of 10 with VCM Academy of dance. Taking both Ballet and Jazz classes, Chante has completed all her exams through to advanced level. During her time with VCM Academy Chante auditioned and was successfully accepted into VCM & Co, Auckland’s most explosive dance company. At the age of 13 she packed her suitcase and toured with VCM and Co’s professional dance company doing shows though out New Zealand to sell out audiences.
At 17 Chante decided to switch disciplines and moved into the Ballroom and Latin American circuit. Competing for 4 years, Chante enjoyed New Zealand and Australian national championships with successful partnerships.
Chante took a well deserved break from competing and dance training over the last four years but has kept herself very much a part of the dancing world by working at competitions.
Chante is delighted to be performing in her first show since she was 17 this December 2009.
GOALS:
• To inspire and empower people of all ages with dance
• Develop some robust training programmes for dancer development
• Gain greater recognition of dance in the community to build up the dancing fraternity
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