Dance like the stars at workshop

If you watch Dancing with the Stars and wish you could waltz like the couples featured on the show, you might want to head to Hawera on August 1 to pick up some tips on your footwork.

Experienced professional dancers Nerida Cortese and Kingsley Gainsford are coming to Hawera for a one day workshop in August.

Dance Like a Star is organised by Simon Forsyth and Maria Cashmore of The Modern Jivers, and Simon says the workshop will give people courage and confidence to get dancing at parties and events.

Both Nerida and Kingsley are experienced dancers and teachers. Nerida is lively and fun and Kingsley has a great sense of humour.

Simon says the opportunity to learn from teachers as experienced as Nerida and Kingsley is not to be missed.

Nerida says she is looking forward to meeting the workshop participants and sharing her love of dance with them. "Watching people enjoy themselves, learning new skills and having fun, that is always rewarding."

She says no experience is needed to participate.

Look at Shane Cameron, no way there's anything natural about his dancing, so if he can do it, anyone can!

Nerida Cortese

Simon says he too is not your average dancer. "I'm a sheep and beef farmer from Opunake who had no dance experience whatsoever before I took myself along to some classes at Hawera ten years ago." Starting with Modern Jive, Simon then branched out into Latin and Ballroom dancing, and now teaches as well as dances himself.

He says dancing is a great activity, "for me it is about the 3 Fs - fun, fitness and friends," which engages the brain as well as keeping you moving and Nerida agrees. "You take away what works for you and get to have a great time learning new skills, making new friends and keeping yourself fit and healthy."

See next week's Stratford Press for more about Maria and Kingsley.

Dance Like a Star with Nerida Cortese and Kingsley Gainsford. August 1. Hawera Presbyterian Centre. For more information visit the website: www.themodernjivers.co.nz