Rotorua Harcourts Dancing for Hospice: Nicky Fraser and David Livingstone

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 partners Nicky Fraser and David Livingstone.

“Life is fun at the moment,” says Nicky Fraser.

Fraser, who will compete in Harcourts Dancing for Hospice with dance partner David Livingstone, is looking forward to the glitz and glamour of being on stage in her costume on show night.

Fraser, who is a secondary school geography teacher at John Paul College, said dancing in the event was “completely” out of her comfort zone.

The initial stage of learning dance moves with a stranger was a challenge, but she had to “get over that real quick”.

After watching the event in previous years, Fraser decided 2023 was the year to “be brave” and take part in the show herself.

She said she now wanted to be dancing when there were evenings without rehearsals.

“I don’t know what to do with myself,” she joked.

“We do everything in one session - we laugh, we argue, we have a huge amount of fun.”

Her inspiration to dance this year came after her uncle tragically passed away in April.

“I am dancing in memory of him,” she said.

Nicky Fraser and David Livingstone are preparing to dance on show night in this year's Harcourts Dancing for Hospice. Photo / Andrew Warner

Livingstone, who is a supply chain professional, said rehearsals were “hard and intense” but the dance pair were having a great time practicing their dance moves.

He said it was both physically and mentally challenging learning how to dance, and called the performance an “extreme form of art”.

Livingstone was going to “seize the night” on performance night. Being in the present moment and enjoying companionship were his favourite parts of the competition.

He wanted to support Rotorua Community Hospice by volunteering his time to help fundraise.

“What a unique and creative way to do this,” said Livingstone.

“I’m loving every single day dancing with Nicky and all of the dancers.”

He was looking forward to their performance on August 19.

Fraser and Livingstone are sponsored by Osborne Funeral Directors.

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.