august 27 - september 2 | 2014
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circulating in wangaratta, myrtleford, bright, mt beauty, beechworth, yackandandah, rutherglen, chiltern and districts
Dancing through life By KYLIE WILSON
SHARING EXPERTISE:
Deb Ravida (centre) enjoys teaching young people such as Maddie Vearing and Max Dewez the finer points of dancing for debutante balls. PHOTOS: Kylie Wilson
GARDENING WITH
DEBBI
RSPCA
WITH
HUMPHREY
FILM IF I
STAY
WINE TALK WITH
ANITA
IT is a ritual enacted throughout Australia, in venues ranging from country halls to hotel ballrooms. Proud parents and friends look on as dapper young men in suits and young women dressed in ethereal white take to the dance floor to perform a sweeping waltz to a traditional Pride of Erin. And guiding them all to this point is the humble debutante instructor. And while, in Australia at least, the balls have become less an introduction to society than a way for youngsters to learn new skills, instructors agree it is still a valuable rite of passage for youth. Wangaratta’s Deb Ravida is a keen ballroom dancer and instructor who has teamed up with husband Dom in the past few years to help many teenagers make their debuts in school and sporting club balls. A dancer since childhood, she likes to help modernise debutante balls by including a fun, choreographed dance to the evening’s proceedings in addition to the traditional ballroom dancing from the New Vogue, Latin American or Modern genres. Smiling, she said the best part of being an instructor is helping young people learn new skills and gain more confidence in themselves. “They’re a beautiful age,” she said of her young charges. continued page |
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