ALLABILITIESDANZ

As RSL MEMORIAL Club comes to the party

Tracy Hanna – through her Allabilitiesdanz studio – offers the joy of movement, dance, and exercise to everyone in our community, with Dubbo RSL Memorial Club recently coming to the party!

The club is sponsoring Tracy to provide free weekly classes for those with a disability in the club’s entertainment lounge at 2pm every Monday, and anyone with a disability or special need can join in the fun.

“I ran these classes before COVID, they were such a success with up to 30–40-plus people, and now I’m basically bringing them back again,” Tracy said excitedly. “The club have been fantastic, they’ve given me a grant so that I can run a free class for everyone with a special need or a disability… enough funds for 30 classes, basically ‘till the end of the year,” she added. Tracy’s unique business model is based around the ˠˢ˩˘ment, ˔ˠ˔˭˜ˡ˚ ˕˘ˡ˘Ѓ˧˦ ˧˛˔˧ music, and dance can offer everyone from children, the elderly, and those with any range of abilities.

“It’s a special type of program that involves the use of drumsticks, ribbons (scarves, bells and fans)… I actually created the style myself,” she explained. “This particular class is for anybody with any special needs, but it’s not just

˙ˢ˥ ˧˛˘˜˥ Ѓ˧ˡ˘˦˦ ˔ˡ˗ ˛˘˔˟˧˛ʟ ˜˧ ˔˟˦ˢ ˛˘˟ˣ˦ ˧˛˘˜˥

mental health; they can come in busses from all over the Central West.”

Tracy’s special vocation came about through a lifelong love of dancing while growing up in Sydney’s southwest where she saw a special need that wasn’t being

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“I started out teaching Zumba classes and noticed a gap in the market, and I developed a passion for working with people with special needs, in nursing homes, aged care facilities, with children,” she explained.

“So, I decided to focus my business in those areas and opened Allabilitiesdanz studio in Dubbo about 12–13 years ago. I always felt that’s where I needed to be, my friends call me a ‘feeler’, someone who empathises with others.”

Her business was thriving before the pandemic restrictions put a stop to almost all

ˢ˙ ˧˛˘ ˗˔ˡ˖˘ ˔ˡ˗ Ѓ˧ˡ˘˦˦ ˜ˡ˗˨˦˧˥˜˘˦ʟ ˕˨˧ ˡˢ˪

she’s back.

“I liked to do events where I took children into nursing homes to dance, and special needs people into nursing homes, and I had two people with Down Syndrome who became instructors working with me,” she explained.

“During the lockdowns, I turned to doing Zoom classes online for free, because I thought it was important,” Tracy said.

ʵ˘ˡ˘Ѓ˧˦ ˢ˙ ˧˛˘˦˘ ˡ˘˪ ˖˟˔˦˦˘˦ʟ ˦˛˘ ˘˫ˣ˟˔˜ˡ˦ʟ are as much about getting out and enjoying the company of others, as much as keeping active.

Ѓ˧ness, Ϣʹˢ˥ ˧˛˜˦ ˣ˔˥˧˜˖˨˟˔˥ ˖˟˔˦˦ʟ ˜˧Ϡ˦ ˡˢ˧ ˝˨˦˧ it’s a social activity, it’s about friendships, bonds, and the joy I see in their faces… it’s for those who may not have funds for classes.

“They can just come along, wear whatever they want, it’s for anybody with any special need or disability, just turn up on the day,” Tracy concluded.

For more information, go to: www.allabilitiesdanz.com, to Allabilitiesdanz on Facebook, or contact Tracy on 0416 010 748.