Rotorua’s Dancing for Hospice: Dean Devery and Katie Hickey prepare for big night

A truck driver and medical administrator are taking on the dancefloor at this year’s Rotorua Dancing for Hospice.

Dance couple Dean Devery and Katie Hickey are looking forward to the dance night of sparkles and fun. They say this may be a hint towards their costumes and Devery described the pair’s dance as “endearing”.

Rotorua Community Hospice needs to raise $1 million each year to operate and is aiming to raise $140,000 through this year’s event. The show will be held this year on August 19 at the Energy Events Centre.

Devery said the hospice had supported many of his friends and family over the years and it was a great way to give back.

His two children, aged 6 and 9, were looking forward to watching their father perform. One son’s middle name comes from a family member who was largely supported by the hospice.

“[The] 9-year-old is excited about watching me on stage,” he said.

Devery was most nervous about getting a dance step wrong on show night and the judges noticing.

“You think you can do these moves in [rehearsals] and you go home and you’ve forgotten about them.”

“[Hospice] do a wonderful job, but they are not appreciated as much as they should be. Please come along and spend your money.”

Katie Hickey and Dean Devery are dancing in this year's Rotorua Dancing for Hospice show. Photo / Andrew Warner

After seven years of watching the shows previously, Hickey has decided it’s her turn to take the stage.

“[Hospice has] recently supported my family through losing a family member.”

Hickey works as a medical administrator and is involved with the hospice through work.

Hickey said a challenge of dancing was adapting to being in the personal space of a stranger.

“The biggest hurdle is getting to know each other and getting into each other’s personal space from being strangers to being right up close.”

She said anyone who had the opportunity to dance for the hospice in the future should “go for it”.

“You end up with this bunch of new family members. They go from being strangers to being a bunch of family members to add to your group.”

Working with dance choreographers Ellie and Troy Smith had been “amazing” she said.

“They’ve definitely taken me outside of my comfort zone.”

The dance couple agreed people should come to watch the show because, “Hospice is an amazing service and it needs more support”.

Treeline Nursery has sponsored Devery and Hickey.

Rotorua Community Hospice fundraising and marketing manager Jessica Meade said tickets will go on sale at the end of June.

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