Twelve couples dazzled audiences at Weston Hospicecare’s inaugural Strictly Fun Dancing spectacle.
The glamorous fundraiser was based on the BBC’s hit TV series Strictly Come Dancing and 12 couples were given eight weeks of dance training from Weston-based Burning Salsa.
Homes Under The Hammer host Martin Roberts compered the event, which sold out just hours after tickets went on sale and raised more than £18,000 for the cause.
The couples performed their routines in front of an audience of almost 400 people at the Winter Gardens in Weston-super-Mare and were given scores by the panel of judges.
Sarah Woolf and John Harvey were crowned Strictly Fun Dancing champions after performing two dances with a Weston theme.
Sarah, a dance movement psychotherapist, runs an expressive movement therapy group at the hospice in Uphill.
She said: “We were in it to support the hospice and to entertain people, but we also wanted to show through dance what music and creative movement can do to help people relive memories or reconnect with parts of themselves they may have lost.
“Our performance was dedicated to the expressive movement therapy group, but was also themed around Weston – the first routine was based on the old Winter Gardens tearooms and meeting my love, and the second was set on the beach.
“I thought everyone was amazing on the night, and we were gobsmacked to win, so we would like to thank everybody who played a part in the event – it was one of the best days of our lives.”
The event was sponsored by BWOC and the money raised will be used to provide support to people with life-limiting conditions and their families.
Weston Hospicecare’s event fundraiser Kelsey Dehaney said: “I was very proud of everyone who took part.
“I have been watching them train from day one, and they have improved so much. Even though a lot of them were nervous, they all did an amazing job.
“I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I am pleased to see that everyone else did too.
“So a huge thank you on behalf of everyone at Weston Hospicecare to everyone who took part, and everyone who came to support.
“It was a fabulous night – and we’re already looking forward to doing it all again next year.”
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