Dancing the nights away with the city’s best of the best

POLOKWANE – Dance enthusiasts and other interested parties are counting the days to the Polokwane Goes Dancing extravaganza set to take place on October 18 and 19.

The fun starts on Friday, October 18 with dance workshops by producer, Willie Venter. All ages are welcome at these workshops, which will be held at the wrestling hall in Suid Street.

The programme is as follows:

• Friday from 14:00 to 14:45 – Rhythm and Dance with objects galore for nursery group, gr. R and gr. 1 learners. Entry costs R80 per person.

• Friday from 15:00 to 16:00 – Dance for Life for gr. 2 and older. Entry costs R100 and includes a stretch session.

• Friday from 16:15 to 17:15 – Let’s go Dancing advanced class for all ages. Entry costs R150. There will also be an advanced class on Saturday from 08:00 to 09:00.

The main Polokwane Goes Dancing event is a masquerade to be hosted at Bolivia Lodge on Saturday, October 19.

Tickets cost R650 per couple or R3 000 per table, which seats 10 people. The evening includes a dance performance by several couples from Polokwane, who have been rehearsing their dances for almost two months. The couples will be dressed in creations by local designerss. The evening will offer a three-course meal and entertainment will be provided by the musical stylings of the band It Takes Four. Party prizes will be up for grabs.

The team that will ensure the evening’s success is made up as follows:

• Rochellé Fouché, Anret Nell and Karien Oosthuizen from Provénce Wellness Centre and Spa. They will take care of dancers’ make-up.

• Hands-on-Art Art School will design and make the masks or tickets for the evening.

• Amanda Goosen is one of the designers. “I like to get involved in community projects, and Polokwane Goes Dancing gives me a chance to see my clients dancing in front of a crowd; that is priceless,” Amanda explains.

Amanda has been in the designing business for 33 years and her biggest challenge is to ensure the client always looks their best.

• Another great designer on the Polokwane Goes Dancing train is Nico Willoughby-Smith. “I was so honoured to be approached by Dia van Staden, the organiser of Polokwane Goes Dancing. We’ve worked together many times before. Her ideas are always so innovative, and are exactly what Polokwane needs,” Nico says about why he decided to join in the fun.

“I was easily sold on the idea of designing a creation for a dance couple, as I had been a ballroom dancer myself many years ago. As a designer, you always try to push the envelope. You’re normally only accustomed to creating matric farewell and bridal gowns, so when the opportunity comes to create something different…you take it!”

For more information about this exciting weekend, contact Dia van Staden at 083 726 1180 or Janie Wierenga at 082 376 2755.