Rotorua Harcourts Dancing for Hospice choreographers Troy Smith and Ellie Smith teaching amateurs to shine on stage

Harcourts Dancing for Hospice dance instructors Ellie Smith and Troy Smith performing at a previous event.

Harcourts Dancing for Hospice will take place on August 19 at the Energy Events Centre, and rehearsals are well under way for a big night in Rotorua entertainment. Rotorua Community Hospice needs to raise $1 million each year to operate and is aiming to raise $140,000 through this year’s event. It will feature 10 dance couples who have been practicing three times a week for 15 weeks in preparation for the night. This week, Michaela Pointon catches up with dance choreographers Troy Smith and Ellie Smith.

The creative minds behind the routines that will be on display at the Harcourts Dancing for Hospice event say this year’s performers are well on track for a great show.

Troy Smith and Ellie Smith have spent many hours choreographing and teaching routines to the dancers, ensuring they will sparkle on show night.

Ellie is a ballroom and Latin dancer who grew up in the UK before moving to New Zealand at the age of nine.

“I started dancing when I was five years old and tried every [style]; ballet, hip-hop, line dancing. I started Latin and ballroom at age 13 and fell in love with it.”

This year is Ellie’s third year choreographing Dancing for Hospice. She said this year’s dancers were “tracking along really well”.

The teams had nearly finished learning the dances and were now “working on the feet” and adding finishing touches to the routine. The dance pairs would then rehearse to ensure the dance moves were ingrained as muscle memory.

“They’re a lovely group,” said Ellie.

Rotorua Harcourts Dancing for Hospice 2023 choreographer Ellie Smith. Photo / Andrew Warner

Five traditional Latin partner dance styles and five ballroom partner dance styles are split between 10 dance couples. The choreographers then create a dance depending on the dancer’s skill set, music and personality.

Despite there only being 10 traditional dances, each with a specific character and stylistic techniques, Ellie said every performance was different.

Selecting the dance for each couple was initially a “luck of the draw”, but as choreographers, they could recognise who might be comfortable in a hold or more “fluid” in their hip actions, Ellie said.

The process of teaching the dance involved getting to know dancers and starting with basic steps before learning the challenging moves, including lifts and dips.

“We always start with the feet. We often teach basic foundational steps the first couple of weeks and then more advanced [moves].”

She added the choreographer’s work on the “middle section” of the dance first, as “the intro and outro normally come with the song and story.”

Ellie said it was a privilege to volunteer her time for the show. “We’re lucky to give back in a small way.”

Rotorua Harcourts Dancing for Hospice 2023 choreographer Troy Smith.

Choreographer Troy Smith drives from Matamata to Rotorua three times a week for rehearsals with the dancers. This is his seventh year of choreographing performances for Dancing for Hospice.

He started dancing at the age of seven when he went to dance lessons with his older sister.

This year, he said he was enjoying having time with a younger group, which made it easier to teach choreography.

“They are going well, tracking ahead of previous years.”

Troy said it was rewarding getting to watch and celebrate the 20 individuals - who didn’t have a “clue” about dancing or know each other prior - come together for a great night.

“[We are] like three proud parents watching their kids play sport,” he said jokingly.

Choreographers Troy and Ellie will perform a partner dance while the judges deliberate over the winner of this year’s Dancing for Hospice.

Dancing for Hospice 2023 technical instructor Glen Law.

Rotorua Community Hospice fundraising and marketing manager Jessica Mead said technical instructor Glen Law “lightens up the mood when nerves are overwhelming”.

“He is so enthusiastic and fun. He also provides superb technical knowledge to help our dancers perfect their routines,” she said.

Meade said there were many elements to a show which needed to be organised. She described the show as “amazing” and said the night was going to be glamorous.

“We are in for another incredible night of glamour.”

She said everyone knows someone who has received help from Hospice. “There is a service that can help your loved one at the most vulnerable time .”

Ellie and Troy are sponsored by the law firm Tompkins Wake.

Harcourts Dancing for Hospice tickets are now on sale, available online from Ticketmaster or at the box office at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre.

Keep an eye out in future Rotorua Daily Post editions, as well as on the Harcourts Dancing for Hospice Facebook page, for more profiles on the full line-up of 2023 dancers and other updates.

Michaela Pointon is an NZME reporter based in the Bay of Plenty and was formerly a feature writer.