http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.dustngrace.com en-us Sun, 06 Sep 2026 11:58:11 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/169665/competition-highs-choreography--what-comes-next/ The first couple of weeks in August were a blur of practice for our competition. Having seen the value of practising without mirrors, we found ourselves in carparks all around Napier, Hastings and Clive, practising at all hours to make it work for the team. Wherever we could find a space, we danced!And Christchurch didn't disappoint. It was another amazing experience.One of the highlights for me was catching up with so many people from around New Zealand that we'd met at the Dunedin Gala, as wel... Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post169665 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/169664/wild-west-new-dances--taking-the-floor/ July started with a bang, with our first Friday party of the month taking on a Wild West theme. This time, Clive Bootscootin dancers were invited to showcase a dance (or two!) they’d learnt with a friend or group, and it gave the party such a different vibe, in a fantastic way. It was great doing something different and, most importantly, cheering each other on.Pinkie and I debuted a brand new dance, Turn This Town, choreographed by Maddison Glover and Jo Thompson Szymanski. It had only just b... Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post169664 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/166575/mardi-gras-music-moments-of-belonging/ After an action-packed May, June felt relatively quiet… unless you count six hours a week of competition practice, alongside events and teaching, as quiet!Preparations for The Lineup NZ Competition in August have well and truly ramped up, with our team and duo routines taking shape. Think the costume decision making has taken the most time!  And we're making good progress on the dancing too... while there’s still plenty of work to do before the big day.Our first Friday theme party for ... Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post166575 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/166573/flashmobs-fireballs-birthday-boots/ May kicked off with the International Line Dance Flashmob. There’s something pretty special about knowing that dancers all around the world are doing the same dances at the same time. No matter where you are, you’re part of something bigger, and that sense of connection never gets old. This year we had Hoedown and Heel Toe Rodeo.Next up was our first Friday party of the month. This time the theme was all about Emily, who was celebrating the big 4-0 later in the month. I dressed up as Em... Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post166573 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/165411/country-songs-choreography-easter-bunnies/ April was a slightly quieter month on the line dancing front… though “quiet” is always relative in this world!One of the highlights was having Pauline Gilroy come down from Gisborne’s Rhythm ’n Lines to teach us not one, not two, but five new dances. Pauline always brings such great energy to the floor, and I love how each dance she choregraphs has a story. I absolutely fell in love with Frankie (She Don’t Dance for Free). There’s just something about that song and dance combinatio... Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post165411 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/162623/boot-stomp-glory-gisborne-good-times/ March was all about one big thing… Boot Stomp in Gisborne - and what a weekend it turned out to be.With no Clive Bootscootin’ social this month, all eyes (and boots) were on the first-ever Boot Stomp competition hosted by Rhythm ’n Lines.Road trip vibes & Friday funIt was a sunny Friday when we hit the road from Napier with Anna and Lily - and even hubby joined in for his first official line dancing roadie with the crew.We arrived, settled into our accommodation, and naturally headed ... Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:17:15 +1300 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post162623 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/162621/dancing-dunedin-detours/ February… what a month.We kicked things off with a Kiwiana-themed Clive Bootscootin’ Friday social (on a Thursday, just to keep us on our toes). I fully embraced the theme… as a bumble bee. Classic Aotearoa Kiwiana, right?From there, it was all feet on the floor as we powered through final practices for the Dunedin Line Dance Gala the following weekend… and wow, it did not disappoint.Dunedin days & Dance floor nightsBefore even leaving Napier we danced Necklace at the HB Airport and ... Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post162621 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/159444/steps-sun-stomping-ground/ The year kicked off with sunshine, laughter, and plenty of dancing. On New Year’s Day, we headed to Mahanga Beach - the pickleball net was out, the sun was shining, and it was my first time playing! Pauline from Rhythm’n Lines in Gisborne called through, so we danced a few Dunedin dances together for practice at the upcoming Dunedin Gala.  We danced, swam, and yes, danced Wagon Wheel, at the Mokotahi Lookout. Hubby joined in again - he claims it was because of a few beers, but I’... Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:57:32 +1300 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post159444 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/159251/dancing-celebrations-year-end-highlights/ December turned out to be anything but quiet! The month kicked off with teaching a session at the International Day of People with Disabilities, which was such a rewarding experience. We joined our friends at the Napier Clubs not once, but twice this month, and a huge shoutout to the lovely Wendy for hosting her birthday line dance celebration – so much laughter and energy.The summer gear was out for our beach-themed Christmas party, I did sneak away from for a few hours to help teach a c... Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post159251 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/post/159249/halloween-line-dancing-and-christmas-cheer/ November was packed with laughs, music, and a little bit of spookiness.Our November line dance party theme was Halloween. You can imagine my surprise when Bex walked in fresh off the plane from her USA trip! Boydy, Vic, Sahmara, and I kicked right off by making our own Halloween pumpkins – don’t worry, no one was harmed in the process. I was super stoked that hubby came along and even dressed up for the occasion. He even managed another go at Wagon Wheel – slowly but surely converting him ... Sun, 30 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.dustngrace.com/blog/#post159249