Sabrina Mabagos and Blue Simpkins-Jones both excited and nervous for stage

Sabrina Mabagos and Blue Simpkins-Jones have been enjoying the journey towards Harcourts Dancing for Hospice 2022, which is now less than two weeks away.

They are one of the dance couples in this year's fundraiser for Rotorua Community Hospice, being held on August 20 at the Energy Events Centre.

Ten dance couples with little-to-no dance experience are practising hard several times a week to be stage-ready and to raise money for the local hospice.

The goal of the evening is to raise $120,000 to enable the hospice to care for and support more than 420 patients with terminal illnesses each year.

Blue Simpkins-Jones, an academic prefect at Rotorua Boys' High School, said he was taking part because he wanted to be part of a community event and represent his school.

"Hospice helped me and my family when my grandmother passed away with breast cancer. It's great to pay it forward and give back."

He said the journey to the stage for Harcourts Dancing for Hospice had been great and was surprised by what could be achieved in the time they had to prepare.

Blue had also been part of the Rotorua Boys' and Rotorua Girls' High School production "In the Heights", and he said it was a challenge to juggle practices for both events.

It was cool to see how everyone's dances were going at a recent sponsors' night and to meet his and Sabrina's sponsor, McDonald's Rotorua.

"They were great to talk to and it was great to build our confidence as well."

Blue said he had had great support from family and friends, and his school was excited for him to take to the stage.

Sabrina Mabagos, a builder apprentice, said her mother-in-law put her name forward and she decided to take part in something completely out of her comfort zone and to say thank you to Hospice.

"I decided to do Harcourts Dancing for Hospice to give back to hospice as a thank you for all they do for our families, and my fiancee lost her father about seven years ago due to brain cancer and in his last three months hospice played a big part, so I wanted to give back and say thanks."

She said practices had been pretty full on and it was a lot of commitment.

She had enjoyed meeting everyone and becoming a dance family.

Mabagos said dancing in front of people at the sponsors' night practice was nerve-racking.

"For me, in practice, I can give 100 per cent but when eyes are on me I hold back a bit but I'm a lot more confident now."

She said her family and friends had been happy to hear she was taking part, as it was something she would not normally put herself forward for.

"I'm quite shy, but I'm happy to do something out of my comfort zone and try something new."

They said they were both nervous and excited at the same time for show night - "we are trying to mentally prepare and balance our emotions".

They thanked the dance instructors for putting in a lot of time and travel each day to help the dancers.

Tickets to Harcourts Dancing for Hospice 2022 are on sale to the public. They are available online through Ticketmaster.

People can get all their updates on the Harcourts Dancing for Hospice Facebook page.