General Contact
Submit the form if you have questions or want to find out more about this event.
Dancing for Life Education Eastern BOP hits Whakatāne on Saturday 14th November. Get dressed up and get ready for a night to remember as 10 local couples hit the dance floor to fundraise for Life Education Trust! These local community heroes have no previous dance experience and have sacrificed 4 months of their personal time, training to perfect their performances. This extremely ambitious, successful ‘one night only’ production, loosely based on recent televised celebrity dance shows, will be supported by fantastic live entertainment, auctions, delicious food and beverage - this is a night not to be missed!
Submit the form if you have questions or want to find out more about this event.
WE'D LOVE YOUR HELP!
Volunteer roles range from setting up, greeting guests, running the bar and much more. There is always plenty to do.
For more information please contact:
Jo Finlay
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
027 555 3733
Vote for your favourite couple in our People's Choice Award!
The winner will be revealed on the night.
OR
Register via Text: Text ‘D4LE20’ followed by your first and last name to 2834
Example: D4LE20 Brad Pitt
Follow the registration link you are sent by return text.
Each vote is a $3 donation to Life Education Trust Eastern BOP. Standard text message rates apply.
Ticket Options
All ticket purchases will be subject to a booking fee and GST.
*Vegetarian and vegan options are available. Menus are subject to change
Early entry for pre-show at 5pm
Complimentary selection of wine for the table
Selection of breads with flavoured herb butter, beetroot Hummus, pesto
Alternate drop plated main
Chicken Breast
Carrot, Pea, spiced cauliflower, asparagus, potato
Or
Lamb Backstrap served medium rare
Carrot, Pea, spiced cauliflower, asparagus, potato
Sweet – Platter to share
Supper
Tables seat 10, $200+GST per person or $2000+GST per table
Entry from 6pm
Complimentary Drink on arrival.
Selection of breads with flavoured herb butter, beetroot Hummus, pesto
Individually served Bowls
Cold Bowl – Asian Chicken Salad
Hot Bowl – Beef Tagine
Sweet Platter to share
Supper
Tables seats 10, $150+GST per person or $1500+GST per table
Entry from 6pm
Includes supper and a complimentary drink on arrival
$80+GST per person
I'm a 17 year old student, currently attending Trident High School. I found my passion for performing in 2018, when I first took to the stage in Trident's production of 'Dreamgirls'. Since then you may have seen me in Theatre Whakatane's 'Mamma Mia!' and most recently Trident's production 'Grease'. I have also performed at a number of events in the Whakatane area either as a solo musician or as part of a group. As a performer I am always wanting to get out there more, so I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to be involved in Dancing for Life Education 2020.
Formed over a decade ago HALO have performed internationally and throughout New Zealand for a variety of corporate and private events. This 6 piece band never fails to get people up out of their seats and on to the dance floor.
HALO features some of the best entertainers in NZ including:
Michael Murphy - lead vocals.
Michael hails from Taupō. Since finishing runner-up in the inaugural series of New Zealand Idol, Michael signed to BMG records. Michael has spent the last few years working as a session singer after working overseas for a number of years with his band. He also has performed nationally for corporate audiences and at events such as Coca Cola Christmas in the Park.
Sebastian Lloyd - lead guitar and vocals
Also hailing from the Central Plateau, Sebastian has spent the past 20 years working as lead guitarist alongside many of our top performers as a live musician. He has also toured internationally with bands from both Canada and Australia.
Walter Neilands has been hosting and writing Television since 2010 and in this time, gained a large connection with NZ audiences. Well-known for his creative activity on shows such as TV3 ’s Cadbury Dream Factory and Sticky TV, NZ’s most popular youth Television show. He brought his boundless energy to the ballroom competing in the 2019 Dancing with the Stars and is well-known for his upbeat energy. Walter is a Life Education Trust ambassador and is supporting this event by giving his time free of charge.
Cole is overjoyed to be making his judging debut back in his hometown. Cole started his performance training here with Theatre Whakatane, where he is credited for winning the Best Choreography award for his work on “Evita – the musical” before going on to graduate the New Zealand Institute of Applied Creativity with a Diploma of Performing Arts (Dance).
After Graduating, he travelled to Los Angeles to pursue an international dance career with the illustrious Princess Cruises Entertainment Team. Three years later he has now returned home after working as a professional dancer in over 80 countries around the world and is looking forward to seeing these fantastic volunteers demonstrate their newfound flare for the arts.
Cole would like to remind everyone that, “Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are great because of their passion”.
Dean has Directed / Choreographed and /or produced many shows including Cats, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins, Mamma Mia, 42nd Street, Broadway bigger than ever! with Jackie Clarke, The Rocky Horror Show with Richard Long and the touring Chicago starring Michael Barrymore and Tina Cross.
Based in his studio complex, Dean McKerras School of Dance thrives with over 500 dancers passing through its doors each week.
Having gained a Diploma of Teaching and Bachelor of Education, Dean has created and implements a ‘Dance in Education’ programme which has seen him share dance with over 50,000 school children. He currently shares his ‘passion and energy’ for dance with students through master classes which see him travelling around New Zealand, and internationally has taught in Vancouver, London and the Philippines.
Dean is the creator & director of DanceNZmade branding which runs competitions and workshops around the country for studios and schools, and provides Hip Hop, Contemporary and Performance (jazz based) Levels- a syllabus being danced in studios around the country
Richard is a Whakatāne based community worker and mountain bike coach that loves to ride and take risks! In 2018 year he threw himself on stage and at the mercy of an audience as a Dancing for Life Education Eastern Bay of Plenty contestant.
“Being partnered with the lovely Virginia Jeeves was a lot of fun, we’re both very extroverted and were given hip hop as our dance genre. We both had the time of our lives, met new people, learnt some new skills and had so many laughs. Incredibly on the night, we were not only awarded the People’s Choice award but we also WON!!”
Richard says it was the most stressful, scary, yet rewarding thing he’s ever done! He swore never again so now he’s on stage as a judge!
“I know exactly how these dancers will be feeling leading up to their performances. I wish them all the very best.”
Kirsty owns and operates Steps Dance School in Whakatane that teaches Hip hop, Jazz, Contemporary, Tap and comp crews.
Originally from Scotland, Kirsty now calls Whakatane home along with her husband and 3 boys.
She tutored the 2018 Dancing for Life Education Eastern Bay of Plenty winning couple Virginia Jeeves and Richard Hamer to victory and says it excites her to be helping and teaching people who don't dance... to dance.
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Entry to Dancing for Life Education EBOP is based on your full agreement with these basic Conditions of Entry*, which have been designed with everyone's safety and comfort in mind. Management reserves the right to refuse entry to any person, and to remove from the premises, without refund, any person who violates any of the conditions listed below. We also reserve the right to inspect any bag and/or articles of clothing via screening equipment and/or bag search checks. No ticket refunds or exchanges will be provided upon violation of any of these conditions.
Stay home if you are unwell or if
Dancing for Life Education EBOP operates a thorough security regime and enhanced security checks are already in place. Security is monitored at all times to ensure the safety of all our guests.
Our staff are well trained and observant and they are doing their jobs to the best of their ability. Please show them the respect they deserve, as they carry out their roles.
Following are the only accepted forms of ID for the purchase and consumption of alcohol:
Alcoholic beverages must not be taken in or out of the venue.
You may not supply alcohol to anyone under 18 on our premises.
Anyone intoxicated will be removed from the premises and will not be re-admitted.
Photographs and/or video will be taken at the event
By agreeing to the conditions of entry, you also grant the event organisers full rights to use the images resulting from the photography/video filming, and any reproductions or adaptations of the images for fundraising, publicity or other purposes. This might include (but is not limited to), the right to use them in their printed and online publicity, social media, press releases and funding applications.
If you do not wish to be photographed please inform an event organiser.


