Sumner Ballroom Dance School

No class this Tue 11 Aug
as our hall is unavailable

🕺See you on 18 Aug 💃

💃Flashback Friday!💃
1999, the first time Stu and I came back from Melbourne to dance at the NZ Nationals. Donna and Alan Shingler danced a stunning floor show, and we got the wonderful opportunity to represent NZ at the World Ballroom Championships in Bratislava, along with Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag. Brendan Cole and Camilla Dallerup also danced and blew everyone away with their latin, so awesome.
Bratislava is my dad’s home city, it was the first time for me to return there to Slovakia since leaving as a 10 year-old, and a chance to reconnect with family, and Stu got his wish to visit Vienna. Anton was hilarious as we were lining up to dance our rounds at the Words!

Beginners classes Tuesdays 7.30-8.30pm Improvers classes will resume in future

Happy Birthday to my fabulous Mother!
See you at dancing tonight Mum # # # 💃🎉❤️🎂

🕺Throwback Thursday!! 🕺
Look who it is! Kerry dancing with my teachers’ daughter Cushla. This was a bit before I came to learn at Edwards Dance Academy in the early 90s, as I have not seen Cushla dance and I didn’t know Kerry. But this photo was framed at the studio, and I was yesterday old when I realised it was him!! 😆😍🫶🕺💃 Kerry Greene

🎟️ **The wait is almost over!**

Tickets for **Strictly Sumner 2026** go on sale **tomorrow at 12:00pm.**

Join us for an unforgettable evening as **10 incredible local dance couples** step out of their comfort zone and onto the dance floor in support of the rebuild of the Sumner Sports Pavilion.

**Ticket options include:**

🍽️ **Private Table of 10** – fully catered with a selection of wine, beer and non-alcoholic drinks included at your table.

🥂 **Individual Table Seat** – perfect if you don't have a full table. We'll seat you with other guests and you'll enjoy the same fully catered experience.

🎟️ **Grandstand Seating** – reserved seating with fantastic views of all the action. Drinks available to purchase from the bar.

✨ Spectacular dance performances
🎶 Live entertainment
💃 An unforgettable night in support of our community

⏰ **Tickets go live at 12:00pm tomorrow (Wednesday 15 July).**

We can't wait to see you there! 🕺💛

https://events.humanitix.com/strictlysumner

Here come Dianna and Dan yay!!

✨ MEET OUR NEXT STRICTLY SUMNER COUPLE... 🕺💃 ✨

🕺 DAN VANN
A familiar face around the Sumner community, Dan Vann has dedicated decades to local sport as a player, coach and mentor. A true Sumner Cricket Club stalwart, he recently celebrated an incredible milestone of 500 First XI wickets and has played more than 400 Senior A games for the club, making him one of the club's all-time greats. Beyond cricket, Dan also spent several seasons playing rugby for the Sumner Sharks and later served as the Division One Mental Skills Coach, further strengthening his connection to the Sumner sporting community.

With more than 20 years' coaching experience across cricket, rugby, performance and mindset, Dan has worked with athletes locally and around the world, helping people achieve their goals both on and off the field. Whether coaching in Christchurch or overseas, his philosophy has always been simple — work hard, enjoy the journey and bring out the best in others.

With such a long history at both Sumner Cricket and the Sumner Sharks, Dan is swapping the cricket whites for dancing shoes to help raise funds for a facility that has played such an important role in the local sporting community.

💃 DIANNA HANNE
Dianna has been dancing since she was six years old and has dedicated a lifetime to the sport she loves. A New Zealand Masters Dance Champion, she combines years of competitive experience with a passion for helping others discover the joy of dance.

Whether she's teaching social dancers, preparing couples for their wedding day or stepping onto the competition floor herself, Dianna's enthusiasm and love of dancing shine through. Now she's bringing that experience to the Strictly Sumner dance floor as she helps guide her celebrity partner on their dancing journey.

🏏💃🏆 He's taken wickets across the world. She's won dance titles around New Zealand. Together, can Dan and Dianna take home the Mirror Ball? 🪩✨

Here comes Richard with the amazing Anna!! 🤩💃

✨ MEET OUR NEXT STRICTLY SUMNER COUPLE... 🕺💃 ✨

🏊 ANNA SIMCIC
Olympian. Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist. World Short Course Record Holder.

Anna Simcic spent years representing NZ at the highest level, competing at two Olympic Games, winning Commonwealth gold, and setting a World Short Course Record during an outstanding international swimming career.

A proud Sumner local for 50+ years, Anna remains deeply connected to the community she calls home. These days she's helping NZ's high-performance athletes thrive, coaching them to perform at their best both on and off the field.

Anna's connection to the Sumner Sports Pavilion runs deep. Her son Jack played his junior rugby with Sumner before becoming part of the club's inaugural Colts championship-winning team and later representing the Premier Men.

Supporting the Pavilion is a cause close to Anna's heart, and she's ready to step well outside her comfort zone, swap the swimming pool for the dance floor, and give it everything she's got!

🕺 RICHARD PASCOE

Richard Pascoe is no stranger to the dance floor. Having embraced ballroom dancing from a young age, he last competed in the 1990s, impressively reaching a National Championship final before taking his passion in a new direction.

Since 2010, Richard has immersed himself in Argentine Tango, travelling to Buenos Aires five times to experience the dance in its birthplace. His natural rhythm is no surprise, having spent a decade performing with the RNZAF Wigram Base Brass Band and various show orchestras.

By day, Richard is a Senior Software Engineer with Kraken Technologies, working with the Japanese market delivery team. By night, he gives back to the local dance community, helping run ballroom social dances and Argentine Tango milongas.

Now he's swapping the social dance floor for the Strictly Sumner spotlight, ready to put decades of experience and musicality to the test for a fantastic local cause.

🥇 🏊➡️💃 She's represented New Zealand on the world stage. He's danced his way around the world. Now they're joining forces to light up the Strictly Sumner dance floor! ✨