I AM WOMAN, I WILL DANCE
(By Moira Kennedy, editor Bella NZ)

I could dance all night. And all day. You can do it anywhere, and Kay Lindley trips the light fantastic cross the lawn, kicking up her heels and laughing all the way.

In her day job, Kay is HealthWEST PHO's Health Promotion Manager, working in the community to improve peoples health by increasing their activity levels, but when she’s not doing that she turns into a dancing queen.

“I love to dance, especially as I’m a woman and women are so rhythmic. Yes, men have rhythm too but it’s a different kind. All of our womanhood comprises cycles and it doesn’t matter what age you are, how big or how small, we all have rhythm in our souls,” Kay says.

A powerhouse of energy, Kay is so big on dancing, she’s set up her own website, www.wheretodance.co.nz where those fond of kicking up their heels can find dance classes, dance venues, dance clothes, dance bands if fact anything to do with dancing. It’s been such a success that in less than 12 months it reached number five in the NZTop 50 Webistes, and number ten in the Hitwise list for entertainment websites.!!!

It’s all Auckland-based at the moment but Kay says her website has attracted interest from people in Wellington, Rotorua, Christchurch and Australia so anything is likely to happen in the future.

Kay finds her interest in dance is able to seamlessly cross into her work with Sport Waitakere. “I talk about increasing activity, having more mobility in our lives and I’m passionate about it. What better way to be active than to dance?,” she asks. “It’s wonderful for fitness and burns ups calories even it’s not hugely energetic. People who dance carry themselves better, they’re more uplifted and it shows in their faces. It’s wonderful exercise and a superb way to increase our activity levels.

“Dancing breaks down all barriers relating to age and size and fitness. It’s about having fun and it’s the most fabulous way of being social. Think of a waltz – there’s nothing more romantic than a waltz. Just close your eyes and away you go. Or there’s the salsa, lambada, foxtrot, rock n roll, Le Jive, Ceroc. Look back to the beginning of time and you’ll find dancing. Anyone can do it and it’s such a great way to meet people and have fun.”

The website keeps me extremely busy with updates, and I’m now putting together a competition page where dancers can win free dinners and bartabs from participating venues. Many dancers have told me they don’t go anywhere that isn’t listed, they plan their entire dancing week from this site. I feel very humbled by that. I get hundreds of emails weekly from dancers telling me which venues, bands, floors, danceschools etc they prefer, and really want to get more into the band booking side. I never book a band I haven’t heard and danced to. Of course, no one gets it right 100% of the time.