This year's dancers. Photo / File
The nerves will be reaching peak point for the dancers in Rotorua Hospice's annual fundraiser, which is now just around the corner.
This year's Harcourts Dancing for Hospice is taking place tomorrowat the Energy Events Centre.
The event is back for its fourth consecutive year, with a name change.
The goal of the evening is to raise funds to enable Hospice to care for and support more than 420 patients with a terminal illness each year.
Ten dance couples have been training hard to become ballroom dancing superstars and to put on a fantastic night for the local cause.
They have been professionally trained over 15 weeks to perform for one night only.
Four celebrity judges, Colin Mathura-Jeffree, Kristie Williams, Michelle Langstone and Turanga Merito, score each couple to determine an overall winner.
Nicola Smallwood, Rotorua Hospice fundraising and marketing manager, says Rotorua Hospice is excited for tomorrow.
"It's come around so quickly, but all the dancers are putting their final touches on their performances and are ready to put on a fantastic show."
Nicola says the preparations are all go, as the audio visual team started rigging the lighting from Tuesday, the stage was built by the Energy Events Centre on Wednesday, and then all 160 tables and 1600 chairs got laid out and Event Impressions created the look with their decor.
"The dancers are putting final touches on their costumes and we had one dancer go the extra mile and get a chest wax in front of his colleagues."
She says the silent auction is now live and a lot of people have already started bidding to support Rotorua Hospice, which is amazing.
"After 15 weeks of giving up their time, it's a chance for our dancers to put all their hard work on the dance floor.
"I'm so excited for them to be able to showcase all their dedication and effort.
"As our biggest fundraising event, we're also hoping to raise $150,000 from the event, so we're looking forward to all the hard work hopefully paying off."
Nicola says they have sold more than 2000 tickets to the event. All the premium general admission tickets have sold out, so there is a few standard general admission seats available for $35.
If they aren't sold out prior there will be door sales, but available seats cannot be guaranteed.
"It's a one-night-only show, come and show your support for the 20 amazing individuals who have never danced before and support Rotorua Community Hospice.
"A big thank you to all our sponsors – without them, this night simply wouldn't be possible, and to the community who come along and support Rotorua Community Hospice."
Dance instructor and choreographer Elly-Ann Pritchard thinks it is going to be an amazing show.
"I think anyone who hasn't got a ticket will miss out on the dancing extravaganza of the year.
"I'm very proud of all the couples we have been teaching, they have worked incredibly hard and been very dedicated."
She says it is important the sponsors, including main sponsor Harcourts, and the Hospice team are recognised for everything they did to make the show happen.
Auction sign up instructions
To register via TEXT
1. Text: hospice19 followed by your first and last name
2. To: 3840
3. Example: hospice19 John Smith
4. Follow the registration link you are sent by text from Galabid to login and place bids
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