A Decade of Dancing for Hope: TCDA's 10-Year Partnership with Cancer Council NSW Stars of Tamworth

On Saturday, September 13th, the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre transformed into a world of espionage, elegance, and extraordinary generosity as the 2025 Cancer Council NSW Stars of Tamworth Dance for Cancer celebrated its Casino Royale-themed gala. For Tamworth City Dance Academy, this marked a milestone that extends far beyond a single spectacular evening—it represents ten years of partnership, community commitment, and the remarkable achievement of helping raise over $1 million for cancer research and patient services.

A Mission Bigger Than Dance

We have all been touched by cancer. It is one of the most defining illnesses of our time, reaching into nearly every family and community with impacts that resonate long after diagnosis and treatment. We have seen firsthand what cancer does to our community—the pain it causes, the strength it demands, the lives it changes forever.

At TCDA, we believe that dance education extends beyond technical excellence to encompass community responsibility and service to others. Our decade-long partnership with Cancer Council NSW's Dance for Cancer event embodies this philosophy, channeling our students' talents and our studio's resources toward a cause that affects us all. We will continue to do everything we can to eliminate cancer and the pain it causes, one fundraising gala at a time.

Ten Years, One Million Reasons to Continue

When TCDA first partnered with Dance for Cancer a decade ago, we committed to using our expertise and passion to support cancer research and patient services. Over these ten years, the event has grown in scope, sophistication, and impact, collectively raising over $1 million for Cancer Council NSW.

That figure represents more than donated dollars—it represents hope for patients currently in treatment, funding for researchers seeking breakthroughs, support services for families navigating diagnosis, and prevention programs that save lives. Every rehearsal our teachers conduct, every hour our students dedicate, and every performance we stage contributes to this larger mission of reducing cancer's devastating impact on our community.

The Six-Month Journey: From Recruitment to Red Carpet

The Stars of Tamworth event launches approximately six months before the gala, beginning the intensive journey from concept to performance. During this period, each Star—local community leaders, business owners, volunteers, and personalities who step forward to support the cause—conducts personal fundraising events, building anticipation and raising crucial funds long before the curtain rises.

Meanwhile, TCDA becomes their artistic home. Miss Lily and Miss Kellie choreograph every item, matching each Star's personality and abilities to choreography that will showcase them at their best. Each Star receives their own TCDA dance partner and participates in weekly rehearsals—both individual sessions to master their solo performance and group rehearsals to learn the opening and closing numbers that bookend the evening.

For many Stars, this represents their first serious dance training. Our teachers guide complete beginners through the fundamentals while our student partners demonstrate patience, encouragement, and the teaching skills they've developed through their own dance journeys. It's a beautiful reversal—our students becoming the mentors, sharing the gift that dance has given them.

Casino Royale: Spies, Secrets, and Spectacular Performances

This year's theme of Casino Royale brought espionage glamour to the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre. The evening began before the official program, as TCDA's Senior Troupe transformed into Las Vegas showgirls, lining the red carpet to welcome guests. The VIP pre-event party featured roulette tables and cocktails, setting the stage for an evening of excitement and elegance.

The show proper opened with TCDA's Senior Troupe and aerialists performing on silks and lyra, accompanied by live music from the 2340 Big Band Orchestra—a thrilling introduction that brought the Stars and their partners onto the floor for the first time as they were introduced to the audience.

Then came the heart of the evening: each Star and their partner taking the stage to perform the routines they'd spent six months perfecting.

The Stars of 2025

The diversity of performers and performances showcased both the inclusive spirit of the event and the creative range of our choreographers:

• The Tradies Angels: Three remarkable women representing the charity "Tradies Support the Ladies," bringing their mission of support to the dance floor

• Blake Saban & Jaydah McKnight: Local musician Blake channeled Austin Powers alongside TCDA teacher Jaydah in a performance that had the audience laughing and cheering

• Casey Lee Reynolds & Mal Schofield: A stunning lyrical piece featuring impressive lifts that demonstrated hours of trust-building and technical rehearsal, earning them the People's Choice Award

• Grace Cooper & Sarah Vermeulen: Local TV journalist Grace became a jazz cat burglar in a performance that earned her the Judges' Choice Award

• Warren Ansell & Caitlin Boonstra: Local physiotherapist Warren brought Pink Panther sophistication to his tango

• Wayne Hall & Stella Vincent: Former champion boxer and butcher Wayne proved that strength translates beautifully to ballroom

• Yvette Humphreys & TCDA Troupe: A Dick Tracy number that showcased ensemble precision

• The Roulettes: A Charlie's Angels jazz routine that brought girl-power energy to the spy theme

Each performance told its own story—of dedication, courage, humor, and the willingness to step far outside comfort zones for a cause greater than individual achievement.

A Family Affair: Ray and Loz Aslin

One of the evening's most touching moments came when Ray Aslin—TCDA dance dad and the night's highest fundraiser—took the stage with his daughter Loz, TCDA's Senior Troupe Captain. Their Maxwell Smart tap routine showcased both Ray's dedication to the cause and the beautiful bond between father and daughter.

The performance culminated in an a cappella routine featuring a dance-off between TCDA dance dads and Senior Troupe tappers—a moment of pure joy that embodied everything Dance for Cancer represents: community, family, fun, and commitment to something bigger than ourselves.

Ray's achievement as highest fundraiser demonstrates the incredible commitment our TCDA families bring to this cause, leveraging their networks and passion to make real impact in the fight against cancer.

The Production: Behind Every Great Performance

The success of Dance for Cancer relies on extraordinary collaboration. Sally Anne Whitten, Cancer Council NSW Tamworth Stars Coordinator and a performer in her own right, did an incredible job staging this year's event—coordinating the countless moving parts that transform individual rehearsals into a cohesive, professionally produced gala.

The halftime performance of "Skyfall" featured TCDA's aerialists suspended in the air while Ray Moody's vocals and the 2340 Big Band Orchestra's accompaniment created a James Bond moment worthy of the Casino Royale theme.

Silent and live auctions provided additional fundraising opportunities, turning an entertainment evening into a comprehensive philanthropic event where every element—from ticket sales to auction bids to Star fundraising—contributed to the final total for Cancer Council NSW.

Why This Matters: Teaching Service Through Action

For our TCDA students, participating in Dance for Cancer provides education that extends beyond dance technique. They learn that their skills have value beyond personal achievement—that talent carries responsibility to serve others and contribute to community wellbeing.

Our Senior Troupe members dedicate months to this event: learning choreography, partnering with Stars who may have no dance experience, maintaining patience through the teaching process, and performing at their best to honor the cause. These experiences develop character, empathy, and understanding that their gifts can create meaningful impact.

This aligns perfectly with TCDA's core values of community involvement, service to others, and developing the whole person through dance education. We're not just training dancers—we're developing community leaders who understand that privilege and talent come with the responsibility to help others.

Looking Forward: The Next Decade

As we celebrate ten years of partnership with Cancer Council NSW, we look forward to the next decade of Dancing for Cancer. While we've helped raise over $1 million, the work is far from finished. Cancer continues to affect our families, our friends, and our community. Research requires ongoing funding. Patients need continuous support services. Prevention programs save lives but require resources to reach those who need them.

TCDA remains committed to this partnership—to lending our expertise, our students' talents, and our studio's resources to the ongoing fight against cancer. We'll continue choreographing, teaching, performing, and fundraising because this cause matters deeply to all of us.

Gratitude and Recognition

To Cancer Council NSW and Sally Anne Whitten: thank you for your tireless work coordinating this event and for trusting TCDA as your artistic partner for a decade.

To all the Stars who stepped onto the dance floor: your courage in learning something completely new, your dedication through months of rehearsals, and your fundraising efforts make this event possible and powerful.

To Miss Lily and Miss Kellie: your creative choreography, patient teaching, and commitment to making every Star shine reflects the best of what TCDA represents.

To our Senior Troupe and all TCDA students who participated: you embodied service, excellence, and community responsibility. Your willingness to dedicate time and energy to this cause makes us incredibly proud.

To the 2340 Big Band Orchestra, Ray Moody, MC's Demi Ball and Local MP Kevin Anderson, Rebekah Bianca Photography and all the technical and production crew: you transformed a performance into an experience.

To our TCDA families, especially Ray Aslin and all the dance dads who participated: you demonstrate that supporting important causes strengthens families and creates lasting memories.

And to everyone who attended, bid in auctions, and supported the Stars' fundraising efforts: you are part of something significant. Your generosity funds research that will one day eliminate cancer's grip on our community.

A Personal Commitment

Cancer has touched the TCDA community directly—affecting students, families, teachers, and friends. I personally lost my mother as a teenager to breast cancer following a six year battle. Every time we participate in Dance for Cancer, we dance for specific people we love, for memories we cherish, and for the hope that future generations won't face what our generation has endured.

This isn't just an event we participate in—it's a mission we embrace. Until cancer is eliminated and the pain it causes is history, we'll continue dancing for hope, for healing, and for the community we love.

Here's to ten years of partnership, over $1 million raised, and the countless lives improved by the collective generosity of the Tamworth community. The fight continues, and TCDA will be there, dancing for a future free from cancer.

To learn more about TCDA's community involvement and our commitment to service through dance, visit www.tamworthcitydance.com.au. To support Cancer Council NSW's vital work, visit www.cancercouncil.com.au.