HeatherBEEliners recognised

It was a first for Springs as well as for South Africa as two line dancing judges from the United Kingdom Dance Council (UKDC) came to give the dancers their international exams. The two British judges were joined by two South African judges from Cape Town.
Karin van der Merwe, top SA judge, and her associate Delia Smith from Cape Town arranged the event, brining in Richard Williams and Donna Clarkson from England.
Richard has been judging line dancing for more than 20 years, starting ballroom dancing at the age of six. Donna is the number one ‘All Star’ in the world, which is the highest accolades a dancer can achieve.
“Richard and Donna travel to all countries to encourage folks to dance in line the correct way,” says Heather Bendeman, owner of the HeatherBEEliners.
Out of the 200 line dancers in SA participating in the international grading, 66 were from HeatherBEEliners. At the grading event, among the the dancers who were graded, five teachers did their international teachers exams as well as being graded for their dancing.
Heather started the school in March 2006. They started with 8 women joining in to dance ‘in line’. Within six months, the Trinity Church Hall was too small to accommodate all the members, and they moved to the Presbyterian Church Hall where they still dance today.
“We are blessed to have a wooden ‘sprung’ floor and it’s the best in the east,” says Heather.
The grading event was a success and the judges were impressed with the level that the HeatherBEEliners danced at. The dancers not only got to be graded, but they got to dance the steps that were drilled into them so vigorously for exams without having to worry about making any mistakes.
Heather has more than 100 pupils dancing each week and starts new beginner classes every three months.
“HeatherBEEliners are taking line dancing to the schools next term so please contact me to book a spot. Line dancing was declared an Olympic Sport in 2011 and it’s time to get Springs on the map,” Heather says.