Have you ever dreamed of learning to dance or taking part in Strictly on TV? If so, this could be the opportunity to turn your dream in to a reality because we are on the lookout for ten contestants to take on our Strictly St. Joseph’s challenge in 2024.
All participants will be partnered with a dancer from Marshside School of Dance in Southport and will receive six dance lessons, before performing live in Strictly St. Joseph’s at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Liverpool on Saturday 28th September. All contestants will also learn a group dance, which they will perform all together.
Participants must be over 18 and prepared to raise as much money as they can for the hospice in Thornton, which this year is also celebrating its 50th anniversary of providing care to the local community.
Maxine Armstrong, head of fundraising at St. Joseph’s Hospice, said: “Our Strictly challenge is an incredible experience and a fantastic opportunity to do something new and out of your comfort zone for an important local charity. It is a great night, full of fun, laughter and sparkles so we can promise you a night to remember.”
Last year’s Strictly St. Joseph’s Champion, Rian Bailey-Weir (right) danced the Charleston to Emili Sande’s version of Crazy in Love from The Great Gatsby with his professional partner Grace.
Rian said: “Taking part in Strictly St. Joseph’s was a phenomenal experience and gave me a confidence I didn’t know I had. You do this as part of a team and so you’re not alone. It was so much fun meeting everyone and the night itself was amazing. You should definitely take part this year, you certainly won’t regret it.”
Maxine continued: “We launched our Strictly event in 2021, after 18 months of not being able to hold any fundraising events due to the pandemic, and it has been a fantastic success. It is the perfect challenge for anyone who has watched Strictly and dreamt what it would be like to hit the dancefloor with a professional.
“Each contestant will be partnered with a dancer and allocated a specific dance style before beginning their training. They will then receive six dance lessons and must be prepared to help us raise lots of money for the hospice. This is also a great opportunity for local businesses to support the hospice by putting one of their team forward for the challenge and raising sponsorship.”
Watch the dances from last year’s event by visiting the Strictly page on our website or visit our YouTube channel.
Applications for Strictly St. Joseph’s are now open! To sign up, or to find out more about this fabulous opportunity, give our fundraising team a call on 0151 932 6044 or email fundraising@stjhospice.org.uk.