LIVE music and plenty of dancing kept the attendees at the Pindimar Bush Dance warm on a cold winter’s night on Saturday 22 June, inside the Pindimar Fire Station Hall.

The Pindimar/Bundabah Community Association’s annual ‘winter warmer’ this year was a fun-filled dance party, complete with western attire, and a mix of country and classical rock provided by Maitland’s ‘Hillbilly Rock’ duo.

As waves of rain crashed into the roof of the big station shed, the 60 or so revellers were kept warm and toasty inside by the songs, the wood and gas heaters, and the food.

“The Pindimar/Bundabah Community Association (PBCA) runs an annual event to bring the community together, usually around the solstice,” PBCA President Vivien Panhuber told NOTA.

Apparently it took six cooks to make the gravy, but the lamb and gravy rolls ended up a delicious meal for the combined efforts, which certainly was no gravy train.

Vivien’s own mulled wine recipe, prepared by PBCA Treasurer Andrew, did its own fair share of warming people up, while the ever-popular coin toss was also hotly contested, the prize being a bottle of locally-prepared butterscotch schnapps, and ultimately going to Bundabah’s Philip Pomery.

The relentless rain drowned out the mic sometimes, other times resembling a stadium’s thunderous applause for the band and dancers alike, especially after the ‘Heel’n’Toe’, which took some training, then became an endurance race as the tempo kept increasing.

“We can do that,” was the optimistic call from a few barn-dancers, as they learnt the steps to the likes of Boot Scootin’ Boogie, while the instructor, Elaine, did her best to show them the moves.

One attendee noted that the Pindimar Fire Station needs a pole to assist dancers at future events.

The dancing proved a great way to warm up, with some even having to head outside just to cool down.

Others clocked up their cardio for the week, and the enthusiasm of the night was summed up in many ways, such as Andrew’s admission, “I got all the right moves, just not in the right order.”

By Thomas O’KEEFE