Stars of Bathurst Dance for Cancer 2021 raises $103,811 for Cancer Council

A day prior to Saturday's main event at Bathurst Goldfields, the eight contestants had already amassed $57,831 [eclipsing 2019's figure], but at the conclusion of the event, the figure reached $103,811.

All eight contestants [Greg Cross, Nathan Pearce, Michael Pugh, Peter Heffernan, Kurt Booth, Mel Jenner, Abby Dinger and Nicki Brown] raised over $2500 individually, with the rest coming from ticket sales, a live auction and a cartwheel challenge.

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Mr Pearce, who was the first contestant to step onto the dancefloor, said the response from guests was unreal.

"We effectively doubled the amount we had already raised on the night, the Bathurst community has certainly lifted beyond its weight, we just can't believe it," he said.

"Everyone looked like they were having a great time, and as challenging as preparing for the dance was, the performance was surprisingly enjoyable."

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Mr Pearce said the final figure raised will importantly go a long way to funding life-changing research into cancer, as well as make life more comfortable for patients and their families.

"The real eye-opener for me has been discovering the sheer number of people with their own story about how cancer has affected their lives," he said.

"It's the little things the Cancer Council do that make an incredible difference to the lives of people battling this dreadful illness."

Ms Dinger too felt honoured to assist such a worthwhile cause, and noted the sheer number of people [over 360 guests attended the event] who dug deep to support the event.

"Everyone was willing to donate as much as they could; for example, all eight contestants signed an event program that sold for $600 during the auction; it was outstanding," Ms Dinger said.

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"It was weird for me to be on the other side of things [Ms Dinger is also a Cancer Council volunteer], but the event was a lot of fun."

Ms Dinger said the event also highlighted the many dance studios in Bathurst who dedicate their time to encourage members of the community to grow as performers.

"Pure Imagination Performing Arts, Bathurst Academy of Dance and Dance Dynamic Studios all had young students performing with contestants, while Dancing Diva's and Bashira Bellydance had their time to shine too," she said.

"This event was an all-round community effort, everyone involved deserves to be very proud."

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