Let's Dance

HISTORY

Let’s Dance was founded in 2007, after the Hampden Specialist School in Terang held it’s very first debutant ball. 

Kate Meade who was in attendance approached one of the Parent Committee members to see if there would be interest in starting up an all abilities dance club in Terang for students of the Hampden Specialist School and Clients of Cooinda. That parent was Jan Andrews who became the first President of Let’s Dance.

Jan Met with the CEO of Cooinda at the time, and helped the group to secure funding from the Victorian Government to hire our hall. The program was in partnership with Active Terang.

        

 

The program was designed by Kate Meade and modelled on other dance groups around Australia & overseas. The difference at the time was that the classes were split into three groups, Primary Aged, Secondary aged, and Adults.  All classes were held on a Saturday morning at 10am for 30 minutes each. 

After a few months, Kate decided to see what would happen if the classes joined as one. Magic happend. Friendships blossumed, and age was reall no barrier. It was all about the movement, the music, and being together. 

In 2008 Let’s Dance held it’s very first Gala concert selling over two hundred tickets. A formal night of Dancing, Music and Performances. There were many tears and laughter. The event one ‘Best community event’ in the Australia Day awards.

From that moment Let’s Dance was famous! Famous in our area. We performed at local charity concerts, Relay for Life, Conferences, held workshops and Kate started talking to other dance teachers arounf Victoria and Australia about starting up groups just like Let’s Dance.

In 2010 Let’s Dance opened in Colac and the membership of dancers grew to 60 dancers, having started with just 15 when they opened. In 2013 Let’s Dance now operates in Warrnambool, Camperdown and Colac, with over 80 dancers particpating with all abilities.

2013 has seen the change of Let’s Dance into South West Let’s Dance Incorparated.