Valentine's Day can feel lonely for some singles but at Reflections Nambucca Heads the international day of love is being celebrated in a way that pairs everyone up, with even Cupid possibly making an appearance.
A Valentine's Day social ballroom dancing ball will be held at the Reflections Nambucca Headland Hall on Saturday, February 15, drawing dancers aged anywhere between 40 and 90, many taught by local businesswoman Deborah Sense.
The Nambucca Hall is one of many community assets found on 47 community reserves across NSW that are cared for by Reflections, a Crown land manager and certified social enterprise.
"While we welcome visitors from out of town to our holiday park, Reflections is a part of our local community and we love seeing events like this in our community hall - a valuable space that brings people together," Reflections Nambucca Heads park manager Caroline Winter says.
A former competitive dancer, Debbie, 63, has taught Ballroom, Old Time and New Vogue dancing weekly at the Nambucca Hall and in Urunga and Bellingen since 1996, interrupted only by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With an uncle and grandfather who were professional musicians, Debbie fell in love with ball room dancing at the age of 17, when she and her family went to see her aunt, a professional singer, perform at a hall in Melbourne.
"I saw a group of people on the dance floor and I'd never seen ball room dancing and I thought, 'That's exactly what I want to do'," she recalls. "I was very reserved, but I took it up and the good thing was that the dance teacher would say, 'Gentlemen, would you ask the ladies to be your partner.' I thought that was beautiful because I was so shy, I wasn't going to look for a partner!"
Debbie's weekly two-hour classes at the Nambucca hall are attended by all levels of dancers and beginners soon find their feet, learning the art of rhythm, timing and balance before moving on to dances including the Merrilyn, Canadian Three-Step and Waltz.
The much-anticipated Valentine's Day ball starts at 6:30pm and includes a mix of old-time dances, rock and roll, line dancing and novelty dances such as the progressive jive.
Debbie says there are many physical and social benefits when ballroom dancing.
"When I dance, I feel free as a bird, music surrounds me and everyone is family. No one will crash into me like the rock' n' rollers or discos in the 70s, you can have 50 people on the floor and it's beautiful: dancing is elegant and balanced," she says.
"We have beginners all the time and we have easy dances where everyone gets up, and progressive dances where everyone can mingle, building confidence. It's such a friendly and social atmosphere."
The Valentine's Ball will be attended by couples and singles with a common love: dancing.
"When we have single people there are other dancers who get up and make sure they get out – if you are single, you don't feel left out," Debbie says, adding that over the years real-life couples have met on the dance floor.
Having lost her partner recently, she will be "dancing with many" at the event and has some advice for anyone who is nervous about attending: "Listen to your heart. Do you want to learn to dance? If your heart says yes, you will!"
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said Reflections Holidays is a certified social enterprise that manages 41 holiday parks and cares for 47 community reserves on Crown land on behalf of the people of NSW, reinvesting profits back into the parks and reserves.
"The Nambucca Headland Hall is one of many public assets found on Crown land reserves across NSW that are cared for by Reflections, supporting community health and well-being as well as the regional tourism industry," Mr Kamper said.
