Description
Bundanoon DanceFest: A Success Story.
by Dave Johnson
TN177 Apr 26
The Bundanoon DanceFest has been described as ‘the best social dance event in Australia’ and international attendees have said it is ‘as good as any they have been to overseas’. So just what is the secret to this remarkable success story?
The initial impetus came from a week of dance at Norfolk Island in 2007 which had callers from a range of styles and live musicians as the underpinning.
It was such a hoot that folk asked ‘What’s next?’ and the idea of a regular event was conceived and developed.
Bundanoon was chosen for its convenience to major centres and the June long weekend for its snugness.
After the initial event in 2008, a feedback session was unanimous in its praise and the mood was ‘Don’t change anything, it is wonderful’, and so it has continued with a constancy marred only by the COVID hiatus.
The underlying principles of the event are diversity, quality and participation.
The diversity includes the major forms of social dance in Australia from the British Isles, from Europe and America, with traditional and contemporary dances, and of course Bush Dance.
The quality comes from the high standard of dance teachers who volunteer their expertise and the skills of the lead musicians who organise the music to suit, and then of course the enthusiastic dancers who bring their joy of dancing and the host of musicians who provide the backup musical support.
The event is by nature participatory.
Good dancers come to dance to live music from good musicians and correspondingly good musicians enjoy playing for good dancers.
Bundanoon DanceFest welcomes all to a special weekend of dance and music.
Further information and online tickets are available from ausdam.org.
AUSDAM launched
by David Johnson
TN175 Feb 26
An exciting new organisation has been constituted to take on the running of the Bundanoon DanceFest.
This event has been running successfully since 2009 and is recognised as a major event in the Australian social dance calendar.
The support of many superb dance callers and fine musicians has been fundamental to its success.
The underpinning organisational support of Dave Johnson with programming, and Ray Mulligan with administration has been key.
However, organisational restructuring of Bush Traditions Inc has led to a decision to pass the DanceFest on.
To this end, Australian Social Dance and Music Inc. has been launched and will be running the DanceFest from 2026.
In addition, the new and enthusiastic committee is exploring other avenues for promoting social dance and its associated music.
A feature of AUSDAM is membership with voting rights, apparently a popular feature as many have already signed up.
A substantial grant from Bush Traditions has given a huge impetus to the committee to pursue its incorporated aim which is ‘To promote a healthy lifestyle and community cohesion by fostering interest and participation in traditional and contemporary social dance and its music’.
The changeover in management of the Bundanoon DanceFest should be seamless from the perspective of the dance and music adherents.
The new website, ausdam.org, will allow membership application, joining the email-list, purchasing tickets, applying to present a workshop, and perusing a gallery of event pictures from 2008 to the present.
The new team bring years of experience and lots of energy: Dave Johnson (president); Heather Clarke (vice-president); Colin Towns (secretary); David Potter (treasurer); and members Denise Hibbs (Melbourne); Cathy Grylls (Sydney); Janien Floyd (Armidale); and, Jude Stuart (Goulburn).
