St George Leagues Club

The years are moving very fast and we are now well into another new year. I hope you all had a happy and peaceful Christmas and a great time welcoming in the New Year.

Since my last report for the journal, there have been a few changes. Unfortunately, there are now no more lessons before our Monday night social dance. There were a few times that we have had to meet at Rockdale Town Hall, due to the availability of halls. Unless otherwise announced, dance will continue to be held at the Marana Auditorium in MacMahon Street, Hurstville.

Our thanks to Albert and Nancy who put in a lot of work to compile the dance program with beautiful music. New sequence dances such as D’Amour Rumba and the Grove Waltz, not yet on the regular weekly programs, are practiced during the short breaks.

Our Christmas dance on the 22nd December, 2008 was successful with over 100 dancers attending. The happy spirit was evident. The hall and many tables were colorfully decorated for the festive season. Santa Claus and his wife paid us a visit with a helper making a special show. Along with the usual raffles and Monte Carlo, a special raffle for the many assorted Christmas goodies was available to be won. Everyone left content, with something from Santa’s bag.

Generously sponsored by the St.George Leagues Club, dance starts at 7pm until 11pm on Monday nights. Coffee, tea and biscuits are provided plus a raffle with a chance to win one or all of five of the $15 prizes. There is also a chance for a couple to win the jackpot in the Monte Carlo dance.

Members and their guests are always welcome!

Happy dancing!
Rhonda Lee

Sequence dancing continues to be an enjoyable and great form of exercise for the body, heart and soul.  Anyone and everyone including those with two left feet can learn.

No more ‘old time’ as many new sequences learnt all consist of ballroom dance steps.  Appreciation must be given to Albert & Nancy who combine beautiful dances, lessons and great music for us all to enjoy. The latest taught were the Mambo Manyana, Soho Swing, Christina Cha Cha, Libra quickstep, Jealousy Tango, Rumba Passat, Williams Waltz, the Kestral Quickstep and Emperrado Tango.

To celebrate Xmas in July, the Hurstville Auditorium was beautifully decorated by our committee members and sandwiches were provided to the many dancers who attended on July 7th.  The Saturday following, 40 friendly dancers, including committee members, enjoyed the celebration with a night out feasting on a buffet meal

Fathers’ Day was celebrated on the Friday, 5th September instead of Monday 8th as the hall had been double-booked. Two happy fathers collected their prizes of $15 each, whilst the assorted sandwiches, brought in from St. George Leagues Club, were thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.

We are so happy that many dancers have signed up as members of St George Leagues Club.  Each night before our social dance begins, the National Anthem is sung and whenever the Leagues team has a win, we all joyfully sing ‘Saints come marching in’.

We also congratulate our young, new grandparents John and Amy Wan and David and Fiona Luu and wish our life-member Percy Higgins a speedy recovery.

Occasionally Rockdale Town Hall is used for our dance nights when the Hurstville Auditorium is not available, so please keep in touch for any changes.

Our next big celebration to look forward to is Christmas.

Committee member, Fae Wilson appeared on TV for an advertisement for the Olympics, so we can now say we dance with a star!

Happy dancing!
Rhonda Lee

This year started successfully with our Australia Day celebration .

With over 150 dancers dressed in shades of green and gold, the National Anthem was happily sung and lamingtons enjoyed with tea and coffee provided .

The committee members nominated and crowned Fae Wilson – our first St .

George Leagues Old Time Dance Club M/s Australia Day Queen .

The Monte Carlo was won by one lucky couple that night and another the following week .

Chinese New Year dance was another fun night .

140 Dancers attended, dressed in colorful Oriental costume to celebrate the Year of the Rat and nibbled on sandwiches and cheese and biscuits which were provided during the interval .

Valentine Day’s dance was a similar success and attended by a large crowd, who on entry, were each given chocolate hearts .

The Tio Tango and Foxtrots were taught by our teachers over the following weeks, with the Alpine Stroll being accepted and enjoyed by all as a progressive dance .

The Monte Carlo was won again, by another happy couple .

St Patrick’s Day and Easter celebrations were combined very successfully with 150 dancers dressed in green and witnessing the Easter Hat parade with $15 given to each male and female with the best hat chosen by band members and Fae Wilson .

Our committee members do a great job organizing all of these events and selling raffle tickets each dance night to keep our club interesting and strong .

Upon receiving a very short notice from Kogarah RSL Club, where the dance club has been meeting for many years, we were forced to look elsewhere for a new venue .

Fortunately, thanks to Albert and Nancy, we can still continue to meet and dance every Monday at Hurstville Entertainment Center’s Marana Auditorium, Macmahon Street, Hurstville .

Though proudly sponsored by St.George Leagues Club, we reluctantly and sadly, bade farewell to our band members, Ron Denny, John Rutge, Phil Cardwell, Bob Bouffler and Brian Hunt .

Our first night at Hurstville, proved to be a great success with over 200 dancers attending .

A free dance lesson on Waltz Bluebird was taught which was followed by an opening ceremony .

Officiated by Percy and Gladys, a red ribbon and cake was cut, the cake later enjoyed by the dancers .

Beautiful CD music piped throughout the auditorium gave everyone the opportunity to dance the many sequence dances from the weekly program plus the new ‘break’ dances collaborated by Albert and Nancy .

The free lessons between 7pm and 8pm and social dance from 8pm to 11pm will continue to be enjoyed every Monday .

At the AGM on Monday, 19th May, 2008, all incumbent committee members were returned .

Our congratulations to Percy and Gladys Higgins who celebrated their 69th Wedding Anniversary in April – a great achievement!

See you on the dance floor,

Rhonda Lee