Donovan Bailey

I know this is the place for shameless self promotion but I rather like to think of myself as the most unlikely member of the Swing Patrol teaching team.  I still remember being nervous before my first lesson and first tentative ventures towards the social dance floor a while later are still fresh memories too.  Then as now Swing Patrol produced some of the finest swing dancers in the world!  It’s no wonder I was intimidated (and mesmerised).  I was hooked after my first lesson and was soon going to 3 classes a week.  I had a lot to learn, but I was having fun so I persisted.  Now I have been swing dancing for more than 8 years and have conquered my fears to perform in front of 1000’s.

For me all my efforts persistence and the substantial risk of embarrassing myself payed off with unforgettably fun experiences with amazing people in a great community which now extends around the world.  So I am pretty excited to be on the teaching team.  My hope as a teacher is that I can help others find what swing dancing has to offer them.  We are all different after all but there truly is something for everyone.  Whether it be; first steps to becoming a performer in one of the troupes; a chance to meet your life partner/new best mate; an escape from the grind for a few hours; exercise that doesn’t bore you stupid; something nerdy like exploring kinaesthetic communication; or a way to heal the scars left by those guy’s/gals from year 8 PE class that wouldn’t hold your hand when it was time for ballroom dancing?  Okay that last one might just be me.

I have an extremely talented teaching partner in Noni Clarke and awesome friendly students in my regular class at the Ringwood RSL on Mondays.  I would love to see you there sometime.