Wollongong dance empire to celebrate 70 years of ballroom dancing

Dancespace Wollongong, formerly Reeve Dance Academy, has been in the family for decades and has produced many global ballroom dance competitors, including current owners Donna and Alan Shingler.

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"We still have couples that travel from all over the world to come Wollongong, and if you look at the staff that we have at Dancespase, now all of them have moved from other states or other countries," Donna said.

"Alan and I are probably two of the highest level teachers in the country. So we generally have a great group of kids that really want to do this as a living and a career [who train at our studio]."

These days they don't just teach the foxtrot and waltz, but an array of other styles of dance too.

Meantime, Donna said the "social side" of dancing proved very popular with people wanting to learn to salsa or tango and attend their regular social dances.

On August 5, Dancespace will celebrate 70 years of service with champagne and canapes, and of course, dancing demonstrations to show just how it's done.

The late Ray Reeve founded the school inside an RSL in 1953 where he taught wife Margaret (nee Maloney) how to dance, before moving upstairs at Raymond Road in Thirroul.

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Their dancing career flourished and saw them achieve three times undefeated Ballroom South Pacific champions before working to foster the growth of dance throughout the Illawarra.

"I'm not talking out of turn, but our studio is considered one of the best in the world, and I say that very humbly," Margaret said.

Her children took over the operations of the studio in the mid-2000s, while her grandchildren have also shown an interest putting their best foot forward.

Margaret will also be signing copies of a new memoir she has composed at their celebration on August 5.

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