After a one-year hiatus due to Covid-19, Harcourts Dancing for Hospice returns on August 7. All 20 dancers have been announced and the Rotorua Daily Post is profiling each pair to see what motivated them to take part and how their preparations are going.
This year's Harcourts Dancing for Hospice contestants have one eye on perfecting their moves and one on the calendar as the big night creeps closer.
One pair who will take to the stage on August 7 are Zorb Rotorua duty manager Peter Kingi and Patchell Industries Limited senior costing clerk Tamsyn Peterson.
Peterson said the journey so far had been "like a rollercoaster of emotions".
"There's excitement and there are nerves but I'm loving the process, loving the journey," she said.
"This is all new to me. I love dancing in general but this whole process is new to me. I've been to the last two events and thought 'yeah, I could do that' but once we got into it I realised it's not as easy as it looks.
"I don't think people realise how much work goes into it, especially if you're not used to that style of dance, it's really challenging."
Kingi said he was enjoying learning something new.
"I've enjoyed the challenge and getting to know the other nine couples involved. The personalities in one room are really diverse and it's like a comedy show every time we go there. It's good fun.
Harcourts Dancing for Hospice participants Peter Kingi and Tamsyn Peterson have been practising wind, rain or shine. Photo / Andrew Warner
"I've got a 15-year-old who does some TikTok dancing but that's about all I know, I've never danced like this before. Learning the choreography is not too hard, it's learning the style of the dance and getting into it - that's not natural for me."
Peterson said she was "100 per cent proud" of what the pair had achieved so far.
"We're both really driven, which is good, I probably would've struggled if not. It has made the process so much easier and I'm enjoying it a lot more because we're both so determined."
Kingi said his dance partner was good at keeping him "in line".
"She reminds me, she's always in my ear saying 'lift your head up, arms up, arms down', so that's really helpful. She carries this team, she picks things up really fast.
"I think the nerves will kick in soon. We're just focusing on learning the dance and doing it really well at the moment. I'm sure it will all come together on the night."
Peterson and Kingi agreed it was an honour to take part in Rotorua Community Hospice's biggest fundraiser of the year.
"I'm learning more and more about hospice during this journey," Peterson said.
"I haven't actually been directly affected but I work for Patchells, who have been a sponsor of this event since the beginning. Almost all the senior management team, their parents have been supported by hospice so it's really close to home.
"It's been amazing to learn about that side of things, what they do and to be a part of it."
Kingi said hospice was an "amazing" organisation.
"It's an amazing event to support such a great cause. I know a lot of people, including the other dancers, who have a personal connection with hospice.
"It's good hearing their stories. On the first night we got together we went round the circle and everyone told their stories, there's a real personal connection there within this group."
