Dancing With The Celebrities Annual Ball
Strictly Ballroom
Saturday October 21st 2023
We headed back to the 90's where Total Recreation and competitive dancing began with a Strictly ballroom themed event. We got our hair teased, dug out our best moves and everyone joined us for an evening of fun, dancing and celebration of the wonderful talents of members and celebrities alike.
2023 Platinum Sponsors
Long time supporters and all round wonderful organization, Somerville provides a range of services to people living with a disabilities, including Support Coordination, SIL and Community Access
Airnorth have supported the ball for a number of years and continue to provide all Territorians with the ability to fly through the skies and have amazing holidays and travel experiences.
Welcome to new sponsors, Bluegum NT. Bluegum is a proud and local Northern Territory disability support service who provide SIL, Respite, CA & Support Coordination across the Northern Territory
with a particular focus on remote communities.
Mix 104.9 have supported the ball for over 10 years and help to raise awareness and funds for Territorians living with disabilities.
Mindil Beach Casino Resort help to support the ball in a number of ways and are a valued part of the event.
Welcome to new sponsors, City Cave Darwin. Providing Float sessions, Sauna and Massage, this wellness center can help you relax, detox and in general, just feel and look better. Check them out - they highly recommended.
Another wonderful organization and a long time supporter of Total Recreation, TCASS continue to provide Community Access, Skills programs and SIL to people with disabilities.
2023 Gold Sponsors
Thank you for dancing with us
Somerville Strictly Ballroom Grand Champions
Christos Karagiorgos & Samantha Lung
Mix 104.9 Strictly Ballroom Runner Up
Briony Festing & John Chapman
Airnorth Strictly Ballroom Best Couple
James Morrison & Jodie Doyle
City Cave Strictly Ballroom Peoples Choice
Fara Djawas & Thomas Hunter
Bluegum Strictly Ballroom Rumba Champion
Bec Hell and Cam Tonkin
TCASS Strictly Ballroom Paso Doble Champion
Jess Hall and Charlie B
Paspaley Strictly Ballroom Samba Champion
Maria Melas
Competitors
Georgina Higgie and Josh Hogarth
Margaret McGregor and Craig Ryan
Ray Walker and Hon Kate Worden
Alex McInness and Amanda Jarrett
Luke Field and Kim Stalas
Lisa Tiernan and Hon Mark Monaghan Clint Logan and Deni Ranasinghe
Warren Corby and Dayanara Rosal
Gabrielle Hambour and Jax Ward
Amanda Hintz and Jaime Markwell
Brendon Brittain and Sarah Passalick
Matthew Lucas and Rose Daniel
Igen Mason, Molly Kroes, Coral Lee Nelson, Jody Zammit
Celebrating 2023 Strictly Ballroom
On Saturday 21st of October 2023, we celebrated 17 years of dancing the night away with a Strictly Ballroom themed event. Thank you to our sponsors, participants, contributors, celebrities and instructors, without your support, this event would not have been possible. Thank you for dancing with us and we look forward to seeing you again next year.
Dancers included 17 prominent people from the community who took up the challenge of learning a selection of ballroom dances and were partnered up with members of Total Recreation to compete at the ball for the Strictly Ballroom Grand Champion title. Congratulations to Christos Karagiorgos and Samantha Lung who took out the title and to all of our other winners and supporters.
Celebrating 2022 Memories!
Each year in October, Total Recreation hosts one of our biggest fundraisers, the Dancing with the Celebrities Ball with people from the community joining us for an evening of fun, dancing and above all else, a celebration of the abilities of our wonderful members taking on the challenge despite their disability and achieving great things. This fundraising event attracts over 300 guests and is firmly established in Darwin’s social calendar as one of the highlights of the year. We aim to bring the community together with a sense of purpose, wonder and spirit in these uncertain times, while at the same time raising awareness and vital funds for our fellow Territorians with disabilities.
Dancing with the Celebrities provides the opportunity for our supporters, community members and the general public to take part in this wonderful and inspiring event. Each year, a selection of celebrity dancers including prominent people from the community who take up the challenge of learning a selection of ballroom dances are partnered with a member of Total Recreation to compete to be the Grand Champion. Members are actively involved in all aspects of the performance, and this challenge proves to them that despite disadvantage or disability, they have the power to achieve amazing things.