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A Timaru-based line dancing club is shooting for the stars after being named as a finalist in two categories at the LineDance NZ Awards.
Galaxy Timaru Line Dance is up for Line Dance Club of the Year while instructor Debbie Hopkinson has been named as one of only five finalists for Instructor of the Year.
Both the club and Mrs Hopkinson were also the only finalists in their categories from the South Island.
Mrs Hopkinson said she was stoked and absolutely overwhelmed for the club and herself to have been named as finalists.
“It is a real honour to be up against the big guns of line dancing from the North Island.
“We are a real team at Galaxy Line Dance, it is not a one man band and I have fantastic helpers in Pauline [Shortus] and Rachel [Greer].
“It is family friendly and we have dancers young and old and everything in between.
“Line dancing has made a real resurgence this year and our Monday night beginner class has doubled from about 40 dancers to now over 80.”
The club celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018 and also holds an intermediate class on Tuesday afternoons and another beginner class on Wednesday afternoons at the Savage Club Hall on Dee St.
Club co-ordinator Pauline Shortus said it was very special for the club to be recognised.
“It’s the first time these awards have happened.
“A guy that came from Wales [LineDance NZ founder Chris Brocklesby] has kind of revamped line dancing a little bit and brought it to life again in New Zealand.
“It’s great to get our name out there and also get Debbie up on that pedestal.
“She’s our shining star.”
Club member Sandra Lindsay said line dancing was great for both mental and physical health.
“Also unlike many forms of dance you don’t need a partner to join in.
“Everybody dances together in lines making it easy to come along on your own while quickly becoming part of a friendly supportive community.
“The more you research about line dancing, the more you realise that out of all the sports that you can do, it does everything all in one.
“At a social I’ll have my watch on and I will do 24,000 steps on average and you don’t even realise you’re doing it.”
Mrs Shortus said while the club was doing well for numbers, people were still more than welcome to come along and join.
“There’s no point in coming for one night however, you don’t learn anything from one night.
“You really need to give it a go for at least six weeks.
“If you can’t find your left from your right, perhaps then that’s when you decide what you’re going to do but generally you need to give it a wee nudge.
“Some people that can’t find the left and right still love to keep coming along.”
The awards are decided by public vote, so anyone wishing to support Mrs Hopkinson and Galaxy Line Dance can do so by visiting awards.linedance.nz and submitting a vote.