THE Stars of the Coffs Coast is back for its tenth anniversary driving up donations for local Cancer Council services.

Styled on the TV Show Dancing With The Stars, the Coffs event launched on Wednesday 11 October at Shearwater, Harbour Drive.

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Here, the Cancer Council’s Community Relations Coordinator, Chrisine Williams announced the local stars who will dance their way to the final show on March 31, 2023, and revealed which dance teacher they will be paired with.

Sam Hill from the Woolgoolga Chamber of Commerce and F45 Studio Manager Em Pitomaki will dance with Woolgoolga Performing Arts Studio.

Matt Bryant from Coffs Harbour Support Services is paired with All 4 Dance Bellingen.

Emily McIlwraith from Nolan Partners Real Estate will dance with Coffs Latin Rhythms.

Michelle Clarke from Hair at the Promenade will dance with Pacific Dancentre.

Melissa Rullis from Victor Rullis Funerals is yet to be paired with a dance group.

Victor Rullis will dance with Pacific Dancentre.

Ben Bryant from Bryant McKinnon Lawyers is partnered with FirstStep Dance Academy.

Personal trainer Leanne Bates will dance with Coffs Coast Pole Fit.

The Stars have agreed to the demanding schedule of learning a dance with their teacher to a standard that will take them to the stage for the final event at Coffs Harbour Education Campus (CHEC) Theatre for the celebratory show.

Stars of the Coffs Coast founder, dancing star and committee spokesperson Joanne Vines said Stars of the Coffs Coast is the biggest fundraising event for Cancer Council in NSW.

“It’s raised over $1 million during its ten years, that’s more than Daffodil Day and The Biggest Morning Tea.”

This year’s theme is ‘A Night At The Theatre’.

“How that is interpreted is left up to each dancer and dance teacher partnership.

“There’s a sense of competition,” Joanne told News Of The Area, “but above all it’s about having fun and raising funds.”

Cancer Council is 94 percent community-funded; it receives minimal money from governments and is often funded by community events such as this.

Commenting on their commitment to the cause, the dancing Stars have all been touched by cancer through friends, family or colleagues.

Ben Bryant quipped that he was “dragged into it”, however added that “it’s a great cause”.

Ben’s teacher, Gemma Sarvani, founder/owner of FirstStep Dance Academy, anticipates having lots of laughs along the way with her student.

“We’ll have fun for sure,” she said.

Em from F45 said, “I love the Coffs community, anything I can do for them I will.”

By Andrea FERRARI