Scott and Sasha take Dancing title

By Alexandra Wilson

Nov 9, 2022

Scott Jensen and Sasha Congram were the 2022 Dancing With The Stars’ winning combination. All photos by Anne Freestone

Biralee Preschool’s major fundraiser for the year, its Dancing With The Stars performance, has once again proven a huge success.

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Held at the Finley RS Club on Saturday, the evening was a culmination of more than two months hard work for the stars of the show.

It resulted in more than $15,000 being raised.

These funds will be added to the previous five years’ Dancing With The Stars fundraising efforts to go towards a new building for the preschool.

In total, more than $75,000 has now been raised for the project.

The 2022 Dancing With The Stars performance featured 10 local ‘celebrities’ going through their paces to spectacularly perform a couple’s dance and a group dance.

Biralee Preschool committee of management president Jane Harrris said unfortunately, one dancer “went down with an injury during the week“ and was unable to perform on the night.

“Stepping in for Kerrie Carlon was Mikaila Ackers, daughter of dance instructor Vicki Ackers, and she did such a great job,” Mrs Harris said.

“Kerrie couldn’t dance, but was still a part of the team on the night.

“It was amazing; an absolutely raging success, again.

“The night was based around the band Queen, and Steph Price from Finley Party Hire and Gary Carr from Con Carr Betta Elelctrical did a truly extraordinary job with the set, lighting, music and staging.

“The mood was excellent; it was like you were on the set of the actual Dancing With The Stars show.”

The event was sold out well in advance of the performance, showing the high community interest level after the previous two years’ events were cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“The local community was thrilled to have Dancing With The Stars back,” Mrs Harris said.

“Everyone involved in the 2022 event did marvellously.”

Dancers Nathan McKay and Kylie McLean, Nik Burns and Bronte Russell, Adam Horneman and Jess Pether, Allan Price and Kerrie Carlon, Scott Jensen and Sasha Congram dedicated 10 weeks towards making this such a memorable night for the local community.

Scott and Sasha were declared the winners on the night, with Jess and Adam runners up.

Nik and Bronte were the people’s choice, Allan and Mikaila the judge’s choice, and the coach’s choice was Kylie and Nathan.

Judges for the evening were local highway patrol officer Greg Lawlor, Berrigan Shire Council Mayor Matt Hansen and Dani Romancewicz from League 23 Performing Arts Collective in Cobram, where many local dancers study.