Local club dancers on a roll
MORE than 1000 people flocked to Invercargill at Easter to catch a glimpse of New Zealand’s best rock ’n’ roll dancers doing their thing.
Groovers and shakers from across the country aged from 6 to 17 slipped on their dancing shoes for the national junior rock ’n’ roll championships at ILT Stadium.
Over the threeday event, about 250 competitors showcased their flips and twists in a range of categories, including samesex, triples and best dressed.
Spectators, supporters and officials came from as far north as Whangarei to be a part of the big weekend, hosted by the Invercargill Rock ’n’ Roll Club.
Invercargill dancers Quinn Robins, Isabella O’Donnell and Caitlin van Miltenburg (all 17) competed in their final competition at junior level, and all left as winners.
Quinn and Isabella defended their junior/senior restricted title they won at the national event in Auckland last year, while Quinn and Caitlin achieved the same result for their junior/senior restricted title.
The trio also claimed first place in the senior triples event.
Other winners included George and Kyra HopeJohnstone (open novice), Joel TerrilDodd and Jaguar Band (intermediate open), Oliver Shirley and Grier Goodall (junior open), Amber Grantham and Isabella O’Donnell (samesex and best dressed), and Emma van Miltenburg and Lilyana Ultee (samesex junior).
Club president Karl Herman said he was overwhelmed by the success of the event and the standard of its competitors.
‘‘[It was] a fantastic weekend with outstanding dancing, over my expectations of placings, with Invercargill taking out 11 of the 13 top first placings in the dance categories.
‘‘No words can explain.’’