To share this news on Facebook click here
DANCE Wollongong - What a Wonderful Event
10-07-2017
From Madeleine Zoanetti
"As one of the Directors of Dancesport Australia I am proud and pleased to provide this report on DANCE Wollongong."
The DANCE Wollongong 2017 event was so successful that it featured on WIN TV as the “strongest competition in years,” with over 1,500 spectators attending. See news story
The generous sponsorship from Mercedes-Benz Wollongong and CMG Audio Visual allowed DSA to offset many of the costs. This included hiring a quality venue, bringing in a purpose-built floor and having a superior audio-visual set up.
Being in a beachside location made for a lovely change from chilly Canberra. It did not feel like winter to the Southerners! Wollongong is part of a beautiful coastline with much to see. One of the many benefits of DanceSport is travelling to new places.
The advertising campaign on Facebook was brilliant - charming excerpts and facts popping up every few days to keep interest piqued. It generated momentum early on and kept going. This campaign was orchestrated with local media and actively included i98 radio, WIN TV and the Illawarra Times newspaper. Destination Wollongong, the local tourist bureau, were outstanding with their helpful promotion of the event.
We are very grateful to Sandy Rae, a local dancer who worked hard behind the scenes, organising sponsorship, facilities, publicity and much more.
Location, Location, Location
It was a very exciting time for the National Championships to move to a new and improved location in Wollongong, close to the beach.
The venue was the centre-piece; its large floor and amazing lighting, it was second to none. The event was magnificent, from the impressive opening showcasing the major sponsor, Mercedes, right through to the very end. It was underpinned by a very professional approach to detail which provided a premium experience for the dancers and adjudicators.
In terms of accessibility, accommodation was within walking distance of the stadium, so it was wonderfully convenient. The event seemed to run smoothly, with no delays. Feedback I received was that both evenings finished at a respectable hour, for which a lot of people were grateful. This points to the meticulous organisation that ensured everything went according to schedule; no hiccups or lags.
Great admission price and retail support
As a spectator over the entire weekend, I noticed all the main dance retailers were present and offering great specials to competitors. In speaking to them, they said they received a good response and takeup from buyers.
The competition admission price was very reasonable for such an upmarket stadium, and was below average cost for competitions today. The seats were easy to access and all offered great views.
Wollongong - a good move
Obviously the shift from Canberra to Wollongong provided many challenges and several changes to traditional thinking, I know that many decisions were painstakingly assessed by the Directors. However, there was an overwhelming feeling that they needed to break new ground because just running a 'competition' was not good enough for DanceSport competitors in Australia.
Overall, I feel this change is for the better and I want to congratulate the organising committee for their fantastic work in putting on such a spectacular event, catering for competitors, major sponsors and spectators.
Check out Adam Blakey's wrap on Facebook
