Grace Patterson and Evan Clarke found love at Moana House and were back there on Monday rock 'n' rolling for residents as Repco Beach Hop 21 hits Whangamata. Photo / Alison Smith
Grace Patterson and Evan Clarke found love at Moana House and were back there on Monday rock 'n' rolling for residents as Repco Beach Hop 21 hits Whangamata. Photo / Alison Smith
Grace Patterson has seen her share of shy folk, particularly men, who eventually became addicted to rock 'n' roll.
Among them, her partner Evan Clarke.
She and Evan met at Moana House in Whangamata where he was a PD worker. Grace told him she liked to rock 'n' roll on a Tuesday night, inviting him to join.
"He would stand at the bar leaner with his beer and I never pushed him. Everyone would say, 'When are you going to dance?' and he would say, 'You need a spectator'.
"Then one day Evan said 'How about you just teach me the rock 'n' roll waltz and we'll show them at the club night?' Thus we did, and Evan got up and started doing it."
Evan was no boy scout, but with Grace at his side, he mastered this move and plenty more.
His presence, often in bare feet at practices and with his long hair and jeans, is often a welcome relief to male newcomers to rock 'n' roll, who worry they won't "fit in".
Grace says men are often in short supply when it comes to dancing.
The club organises line dances like the rockabilly stroll - which allows singles to still get up and dance without needing a partner - but lessons are structured so dancers get to have a go with everyone.
"The men don't feel as pressured with a different partner to their wives because the women stop trying to take the lead," says Grace.
Grace also struggled not to take the lead with Evan in his learning phase.
"I remember one of our members saying to me, "Look, who is driving this bus okay?"
A year on from nationwide lockdown, rock 'n' roll is taking over the Coromandel thanks to Repco Beach Hop 21.
The men don't feel as pressured with a different partner to their wives because the women stop trying to take the lead
In its 21st year and with Coastal Rockers Whangamata president Grace choreographing the role rock 'n' roll clubs play in the festival, the festival has dancers gathered from all over New Zealand.
Repco Beach Hop is a highlight for rock 'n' roll clubs and this year clubs include Whangamata, Thames, Whakatāne, North Harbour, Hibiscus Coast, Franklin, Tauranga, Tauranga Social, River City Hamilton, New Plymouth, Ashburton, Takapu, Te Awamutu Rosetown Rockers, L&P Rockers Paeroa, Drifters, Graceland, Kamo, Waitomo and Whanganui.
They'll be parading their banners, club colours and moves on Saturday morning along Port Rd, the main street of Whangamata, assembling at the Fire Station and heading off at 9.30am.
Grace Patterson and Evan Clarke at Moana House giving residents a treat for the Repco Beach Hop 21. Photo/ Alison Smith
This year's rock 'n' roll dancers hub outside the Whangamata library on Port Rd will be better then ever, with a custom floor being assembled by Evan and fellow volunteers Barry Cowling and Geoff Mehrtens.
For anyone new to rock 'n' roll, several lessons take place not only in the one-month lead-up to the festival but during the festival itself, at Whangamata Club.
Beginner and intermediate moves will be taught on Thursday and Friday.
While it was Noddy Watts and his volunteers who took the Beach Hop to its huge success and accolade as New Zealand's favourite event, the idea originated with the Coastal Rockers' hop all those years ago.
Grace is a relative newcomer to Whangamata but has embraced the role as dance representative in the volunteer team, and her enthusiasm and generosity in teaching dance is infectious.
She has started up a rock 'n' roll club on Wednesday nights in Tairua after moving there recently, and travels back to Whangamata for the Tuesday night Coastal Rockers session at the Whangamata Club for social dance.
Moana House Whangamata residents get into the Beach Hop spirit with a visit from Coastal Rockers on Monday. Photo / Alison Smith
"Traditionally you sent out a flyer and people come along, when I first started in rock 'n' roll people would phone and tell you how many seats they wanted at a table, these days people decide last-minute so you never know how many will turn up."
Tuesday night at Whangamata Club is the kickstart party, where rock 'n' rollers from around the country spin and groove and the atmosphere is electric with live music from Gerry Lee.
Don't worry about what you wear, says Grace, who loves dressing up in her 50s fashion but wears $3.50 shoes from Kmart because they're the best she's found for dancing.
