The mirror ball is set to go on the line

SWINGING WITH THE STARS

CORY O’CONNOR

Cory O’Connor’s motivation for getting involved in this weekend’s Swinging with the Stars was simple.

“As a teacher I’ve been a part of many awards night where the Stand Like Stone Foundation donate money to students to help them with their higher education so why not be part of the raising the money which gets given back to our community,” Cory said. “I tell students every day that they need to push outside of their comfort zones so what better way to show them.”

And dancing in front of a room full of people is definitely outside Cory’s comfort zone.

“I had zero dance experience prior to starting Swinging with the Stars,” he said. “However, I am looking forward to the night to show off all the hard work we have put into the experience.”

Paired with Cassie Sullivan, Cory has ranked the rumba as his favourite routine, while the tango continues to provide its challenges.

“Cassie is an absolute life saver when it comes to the dancing and has definitely made learning the dance and making sure we stay in time a lot easier,” she said.

But while getting those steps right are taking up most of Cory’s time in the final days leading into this Saturday’s gala performance, it has all been made easier knowing the impact the Stand Like Stone Foundation has in the community.

“I knew Stand Like Stone was very heavy into giving back to the community but I just didn’t fully understand the size and the amount of support they put back into the community.”

Cory O’Connor: A teacher at Penola High School, Cory heads up the agricultural program which sees his students getting out of the classroom and into the paddock and is also a recent recipient of an Environment and Sustainability Australia Day Award. So, it looks like Cory is going from being the teacher to the student and hoping to gain another award in June. Cory is raising funds for the Penola Coonawarra Wellbeing Sub Fund.

SHEKINAH HORSBURGH

“I’m sad it’s all coming to an end, so I’m trying to make sure I’m enjoying my time with everyone too.”

That is how Shekinah Horsburgh feels about her time preparing for this Saturday’s Swinging with the Stars event.

The Grant High School teacher entered the experience with the same level of dance expertise as many of us – dancing in the privacy of their own home Shekinah making her mark playing the video game Just Dance.

What she has found is that honing her dance skills as part of the rehearsal process has been an amazing experience.

“I’m lucky because I enjoy all of the dances,” she said. “I know which is my least favourite, but that’s purely because it feels like sprinting a marathon so if I had to choose one, I’d say the tango. The song we’re dancing to is very fun to sing along to, and it’s probably the one that has pushed me most out of my comfort zone. It really relies on having full trust in your partner as it has different lifts and tricks.”

That partner is Toby Riley – a three time participant in the major fundraiser.

“He has been able to show me the ropes,” Shekinah said. “He’s very encouraging and makes every rehearsal a lot of fun.”

Shekinah had the recommendations of her colleagues to inspire her to take up the challenge of the Swinging with the Stars experience.

“I had teachers participate in it when I was in school, and friends have played in the band, so I was always interested in it,” she said. “I went for the first time last year and I loved it. It was amazing seeing everyone enjoy themselves and it was such an incredible atmosphere. When an email was sent around my school looking for someone to participate in it this year, I jumped at the chance.”

Of course, it is not just the dancing but the fundraising and Shekinah has been grateful for the support she has received in building a tally.

“I’ve been able to do lots of different fun things for my fundraising efforts,” she said. “Some things include hosting a quiz night and karaoke night, which were both really fun. My school has been amazing and has held a casual day too.”

Her personal experience with the foundation also providing plenty of motivation for the 2024 star.

“I’ve known about Stand Like Stone Foundation for quite a while and was always very grateful to have them in our community,” Shekinah said. “My sibling was lucky enough to receive a scholarship from them a few years ago, which helped them move to Melbourne to study at uni. They’re very excited I am helping raise money for the foundation and can’t wait to watch me dance.”

And ensuring those performances are the best they can be has Shekinah cramming in plenty of practice ahead of Saturday night.

“I feel confident in remembering all of my steps, but I need to keep practising the tricks.”

Shekinah Horsburgh: A teacher at Grant High School, Shekinah has seen first-hand how Stand Like Stone supports the community through one of her siblings who received a scholarship from the foundation. Shekinah has an arts background, who plays the clarinet and saxophone and is part of the Mount Gambier Theatre Group. Shekinah will be raising funds for the Grant High School Sub Fund.

NATHAN MCCARTHY

Stock agent Nathan McCarthy entered the 2024 Swinging with the Stars experience with zero dance experience but having teamed up with Tennille Grubb, he is feeling more confident about this Saturday night’s performance.

Putting in a few extra sessions as the performance deadline approached has also added his confidence as he looks to put his best foot forward.

Similar to many of the stars that sign up for the Stand Like Stone Foundation’s major annual fundraiser, challenging himself was a key motivator and the positive feedback from other participants sealed the deal.

“It seemed like a great opportunity to get involved with something that was out of my comfort zone as well as being for such a great cause and I also had a lot of previous dancers telling me to do it,” Nathan said.

Hip hop is definitely the dance Nathan is most looking forward to performing this Saturday night but he is hoping to get the job done across all the genres.

He has also taken the fundraising aspect of the experience as seriously as mastering the dance steps and is expecting to top the $10,000 mark by the time Saturday night arrives.

Nathan McCarthy: A stock agent for Elders, Nathan considers being asked by his local community to be a ‘Star’ is an honour and a privilege. He’s looking forward to learning some new moves and to show-off his newly developed dancing talents to his family and friends in June. But more importantly he’s hoping to raise funds for the Lucindale Area School Sub Fund, but also have a few laughs along the way.

CHRIS WILLIAMS

Chris Williams might have limited experience as a dancer but he does have a secret weapon, living under the same roof as a Swinging with the Stars alumni that has 15 years experience – wife Alex.

“I’ve had a lot of experience from a spectator’s point of view as my wife Alex was a dancer but as far as actually dancing, I did a choreographed wedding dance and that’s about it,” he said. “Alex was a dancer for the event for a few years and always had a lot of fun with the whole process so that convinced me to sign up as did the chance to get involved with the fantastic fundraising efforts of the event.”

Chris was also aware of the extensive support the Stand Like Stone Foundation provides the community so was happy to be involved in an event that raises funds for that work.

“They do an amazing job of raising funds for people in need and keeping those funds local and that’s what I love about it,” he said.

The work of the foundation also means the local community is prepared to throw their support behind the fundraising efforts of the Swinging with the Stars event.

“The people and business owners I’ve reached out to in regards to fundraising have been incredibly generous,” Chris said. “I held a food and wine night at The Macs Hotel with an auction which was very well supported. I’ve also done some fundraising at the South Gambier Footy Club which everyone really got behind.”

His dance floor support has come in the form of partner Jacinta Cooper, who is a long time participant in the Swinging with the Stars, including winning the competition.

“Jacinta has been such an amazing and patient dance partner who has helped me out a huge amount while having a laugh the whole way through,” Chris said. “There have been a lot of extra practices over the last couple months so I can get my arms and legs to move the way they’re supposed to.”

He is looking forward to the tango while the hip hop continues to prove to be the most challenging of the genres he will be tackling on Saturday night.

“All in all the whole event has been so much fun getting to meet new people, step a long way out of my comfort zone and having the opportunity to raise funds for our community,” Chris said. “A huge thankyou to my family for their support throughout the whole thing.”

Chris Williams: A family man and owner of Chris Williams Painting, Chris agreed to take up the challenge of being a Star in 2024 because of his wife’s encouragement, but also to do something good for his community. A lifetime member of the South Gambier Football Club, Chris says he’s not a dancer and is embarrassed when having to get up and dance. So, getting up in front of more than 550 people at the Barn should be interesting. Chris will be raising funds for the Mental Health & Wellbeing Limestone Coast Sub Fund.

ELLA BOSTON

Ella Boston has gone from someone who knew next to nothing about the Stand Like Stone Foundation to being a passionate advocate of the community group.

“I did not know much about the Stand Like Stone Foundation before starting Swinging With The Stars but the crew at Stand Like Stone has been amazing with passing information and educating us on what they do,” she said. “The Stand Like Stone Foundation puts in a lot of work to help people and raises money and provides scholarships and grants in many different ways.”

Supporting that work saw Ella dive head first into the fundraising aspect of the experience, hitting the ground running as early as March to start to fill the coffers of the Naracoorte District Sub Fund.

“I have held a Kids Disco and Quiz Night as my major fundraisers and I had a group of people volunteer at the South East Field Days,” Ella said. “I have also done a fundraiser with the Naracoorte Hotel, who hold weekly Friday night raffles.

“I was supported by Belinda Boston, Josie Collins, Andrea Henschke and Sonya Bates throughout these efforts along with many others. I could not have raised money or have held events without their contribution. I am proud of my fundraising efforts and would like to thank everybody that has supported me throughout these past six months.”

The fundraising might have been a new experience for Ella but she does have somewhat of an advantage when it comes to the dancing.

“I have been dancing for fun since the age of six at MJ Dance Naracoorte,” Ella said. “I have done jazz and hip hop so these dance styles such as the tango are very new. I have also taught dance and assisted for many years.”

It was her love of dancing and the word of mouth from stars from previous events that saw Ella keen to be involved.

“I have always loved dancing so when the opportunity came up I couldn’t say no,” she said. “It was not just about me but about helping others as well. As a major part of Swinging with the Stars is fundraising. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the stories I had heard made it sound like an enjoyable experience.”

Ella has loved finetuning the hip hop routine and has found the tango the most challenging as she works side by side with dance partner Lewis Riley.

“He has been very supportive and lots of fun to dance with, providing a great deal of dance knowledge especially with timing of the dances,” Ella said. “When we started learning more dances the stars quickly realised we would need extra practices to help remember the dances. The past few weeks have been very busy and we have certainly had extra practices to perfect everything.”

Ella Boston: An SSO at Naracoorte High School, Ella is an all year round sports person who has a liking for the dance floor. So, fitness and a dancing history has to make Ella a contender for the 2024 crown. Ella will be raising funds for the Naracoorte & District Sub Fund.

TYLER MICHIELAN

Tyler Michielan can claim he was talent identified for the 2024 Swinging with the Stars despite having little to no dance experience.

“Kim Cella who is one of the owners and dance instructors of Hype Dance and after last year’s soccer presentation night she had seen me busting a move tearing up the dance floor and it kind of went from there,” Tyler said. “I haven’t had any actual proper dance training or lessons – my dance experience prior to SWTS has only been from the dance floor at the pubs on the weekends.”

Bringing the weekend dancer up to speed is a task that has fallen to Amelia Clark.

“She dances and teaches at Envy Dance as well as dances hip hop at Hype Dance and she has been great helping me out through all the different dances whilst learning them for the first time herself,” Tyler said.

The tango has proven the most challenging while hip hop looms as Tyler’s favourite.

“I am very great full to have this opportunity to participate in this year’s Swinging with the Stars,” he said. “I have really enjoyed the experience. I am looking forward to the big night, I am very excited as well as a little nervous.”

The experience has not just seen Tyler develop his dance skills but also taught him plenty about the work of the Stand Like Stone Foundation.

“I knew very little of the foundation beforehand, however I have learnt a lot since being involved with Swinging with the Stars and fundraising,” he said. “The foundation offers individuals, families, groups and corporations a way of giving back to our local community which is what I was really liked.”

And it motivated him to put together some serio9us fundraising in the lead up to Saturday night.

“I have had many fundraisers leading up to the event,” Tyler said. “I started off fundraising with a couple raffles which were a great success. I have had plenty of help from local business es and groups holding events that I’m grateful for. One of the most successful fundraisers I held was a bingo night getting over 100 people to attend. “

Tyler Michielan: An electrician with Godrik Construction & Electrical, Tyler has played for the International Soccer Club for the last 12years and has also represented South Australia in the ‘Ultimate Fiji Soccer Cup’ tournament in 2017 and 2018. Tyler believes being a Star is going to be a great experience, but also a great opportunity to give back to the community. Tyler will be raising funds for the Stand Like Stone General Sub Fund.

BEC HURST

In a way, being involved in Swinging with the Stars has given Bec Hurst an opportunity to live out a childhood dream.

“I have had no formal dance experience or lessons at all,” she said..” I would have dearly loved to learn dance when I was young, but we lived on a property out of Avenue Range near Lucindale, and it was just not feasible. They probably didn’t even teach dancing in the South East in my youth.

“I am first on and last off the dance floor though and love a good bit of ABBA and I was overseas for almost three years in my mid 20s and was notorious for hitting the dance floor at any given opportunity whether it was in the French Med where I worked as a nurse for adventure camps, or in the French Alps where we were a group of chalet girls let loose each evening.”

The Swinging with the Stars experience, though, is a little different to her European romps.

“I am loving the challenges all four dances are throwing my way and am finding there is sometimes quite a distance for messages to be relayed from my brain to my feet,” she said. “My favourite dances are both the rumba and the tango – cheeky, sassy and fun – while the hip hop is testing my hip hop hippiness.”

Georgie McKay recruited Bec for the 2024 event and given Robe hadn’t had a representative for a few years, she decided to give it a go.

“I have attended Swinging with the Stars on several occasions in the past and had commented that I would love a crack at it….13 years ago,” she said. “I thought it looked awesome fun and was something I could see myself really enjoying, given my desire to learn dance.”

Bec entered the major fundraiser with a sound knowledge of just what the Stand Like Stone Foundation does for the community but even she has had her eyes opened.

“I have had friends involved with its committee for many years but I truly did not appreciate the breadth of educational scholarships and opportunities it provides to Limestone Coast students though,” Bec said. “The thing that most impresses me is the mantra of ‘Education provides opportunity’.

“I was fortunate enough to receive a privileged education and have such enormous gratitude to my parents for providing me with the opportunities that evolved from that.

“The enormous array of accessible scholarships is such a gift to this Limestone Coast region. I believe in giving back to your community and this is such a fun way to do so.”

Jayden Green is Bec’s dance partner, providing the guidance in Bec’s first foray into dance lessons.

“He is my rock and has competed numerous times before,” she said. “Although he is virtually the same age as my children, we actually seem to be getting on fabulously.”

The tyranny of distance has proved challenging for the pairing in terms of extra rehearsals and Bec has been spending a lot of time practising solo in the machinery shed.

Bec’s fundraising for the foundation has been very personal.

“My fundraising efforts have been humbling,” she said. “I am dancing for Poppy Crozier and am raising funds to enable her parents to provide Ag scholarships to Limestone Coast students.

“Our three children are all studying Ag or intending to study ag and were much the same age as Poppy. We knew the Crozier family through mutual friends.

“The support I have received has been extraordinary. I knew it would be difficult for a person from the Tatiara to attend dance lessons at Mount Gambier weekly and it was the sub fund I felt most drawn to.

“I have been lucky enough to hold a lamb drive, meat raffles each week for a month, a night at Drift in Robe with Wade Northcott as the musician, a movie night, a trivia night and a ‘night in’ fundraiser designed by some of the Tatiara ladies and a meat raffle coming up in Kingston at the Crown Inn Hotel and we have many cans and bottles that need depositing prior to June 22.

“I have had many businesses and individuals donate their time, goods, services or money, and I am eternally grateful for their generosity.”

Bec Hurst: Growing up in Avenue Range, Bec married the boy next door and is now a registered nurse and a farmer’s wife in Robe. Bec’s looking forward to representing her community and learning how to dance. In her words, can an old duck be taught new tricks? I guess we’ll find out on the June 22. Bec is raising funds for the Poppy Crozier Memorial Sub Fund

KEZIA FEAST

Kezia Feast is arguably the keenest star to take up the challenge, having watched on with envy in previous years.

She was thrilled when the opportunity presented through Allendale East Area School and jumped at the chance.

“Ever since I have known about Swinging with the Stars I have thought I could do that and would love to do that,” Kezia said. “Performing arts was always my favourite subject at school and I just love dancing and love performing.”

Kezia said she might not be the best dancer but like everything she does she gives it 100 per cent.

What she has loved about the experience is not just the chance to dance and perform but the chance to give back to her community through the fundraising element of the competition and she tapped into her culture for much of her fundraising events.

Kezia Feast: An ex-student and now teacher at Allendale East Area School, Kezia was a keen dancer back in her school days, and has always admired those who have put their hands up to be a Star. When the Principal of Allendale Area School asked Kezia to consider being a Star this year, she just couldn’t say no. Kezia will be raising funds for the Steven Noble Memorial Sub Fund.