Tamworth Dance Festival - The Australian Event of the Year, so they say... check it out!

MAY 12-15 2016 \\ WEST TAMWORTH LEAGUES \\ TAMWORTH The Australian Country Dance 

Festival & Line Dance Ball & Awards held from 12 - 15 May with different themes and events 

during the 4-day festival. Guests for the event include Darren Bailey (UK), Philip Sobrielo 

(Singapore) and Rebecca Lee (Malaysia). 

The Thursday Night Social is International Theme Night (Ie Australia/ Italian/ Octoberfest /

 Irish/ etc) which kicked off the festival on 12 May, followed by Friday Night theme - Medieval

 Theme and Saturday night is The Australian Line Dance Ball & Awards, a formal night of 

cocktail / award dress is encouraged. Sunday Night is Come in your Favourite Colour and 

note that this is a country festival, country-style dress is always appropriate.

Results of the Choreography Winners 

Beginner Line Dance

1st: Coconut Tree – Jennifer Hughes and Karen Jennings

Runner up: Try Everything (Easy) –Adrian Lefebour

Easy-Int Line Dance

1st: Old Bones – Hui Hua WuHsu (Patty Wu– Taipei)

Runner up: Strip it Down Ex – Johnathon Hardy & Jennifer Hughes

Intermediate

1st: 2nd Hand Heart Kevin Formosa and Jennifer Hughes

Runner Up: Tennessee Whisky – Jennifer Hughes and Kevin Formosa

Winners for 2015-2016 Australian Line Dance Ball & Awards

1) Australian Line Dancer of the Year: * Donna & Rhys Pearce

Runner Ups: Kate Smith & Stacey Robinson, Kim Pemberton, Chris Watson, Pauline 

Greenwood, Maria Smith

2) Australian Beginner/Improver dance: Love Sweet Love - Anne Herd

Runner Ups: Heidi - Jan Wyllie, Thinkin' Country - Simon Ward, Trouble with the Treble 

/ Turn The Beat Up - Maddison Glover

3) Australian Intermediate/Advanced dance: Twists & Turns - Maddison Glover

Runner Ups: Andante Andante - Stephen Patterson, Baby I'm Amazed - Maddison 

Glover, Marvin Gaye - Josh Talbot, Tuesday Blues - Simon Ward

4) International Dance: Ticket to the Blues - Niels Poulsen

Runner Ups: Darlin' Hold My Hand - Neville Fitgerald & Julie Harris, Fireball - Kate Sala

, Heavenly Cha - Dee Musk, The Bomp - Kim Ray

5) Australian Choreographer: Simon Ward

Runner Ups: Josh Talbot, Maddison Glover, Mark Simpkin, Stephen Patterson

6) International Choreographer: Rachael McEnaney

Runner Ups: Darren Bailey, Dee Musk, Niels Poulsen, Ria Vos, 

7) Australian Teacher: Tom Glover

Runner Ups: Brett Jenkins, Chris Watson, Maddison Glover, Michelle Fong, Stephen

 Patterson

And how did the voters vote for their champions and favourites? Read on...

* Nominations for "The Australian Line Dancer of the Year" award are collated to 

obtain the finalists. Members of "Australian Line Dancer" (which sponsor these

 awards) then vote on the winner from amongst the finalists (voters are not 

provided the names of the nominees, just the grounds for nomination, so as to 

avoid favouritism). Except in case of a possible tie, the awards committee does 

not vote.

Anyone can vote in as many of the categories as they like once every month. Instructors are encouraged to collect votes from their classes & socials and 

submit them monthly (on class voting form) The more people & classes that vote, 

the more truly representative the results. These awards are not for technical merit, 

but are popularity based awards (the most votes wins). It's not necessarily the 

best dance that wins. However, note that for the purposes of these awards 

"Australian" refers to someone currently living in Australia. 

And the next Tamworth festival will be held in May 2017 in Australia. C'ya and 

G'Day, mate!