When time is limited and the dance style precise, the last thing you want is an injury.
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Bronwyn Tyrell could not start rehearsing for Stars of the Border Dance for Cancer after tearing her calf muscle at the gym in February.
With a minimum recovery of six weeks, the Albury-Wodonga financial stylist quickly found herself a fortnight behind the other identities taking part in the Cancer Council NSW fundraiser.
“Plus I was only able to do modified stuff as well so it’s only really been in the last week I’ve been able to do everything,” she said.
“The organisers said if you need to do it on crutches, you can, if you need to do it sitting down, you can – we thought that might have been a bit awkward, but they were very flexible in regards to it.”
Lots of physiotherapy and support has made the difference as she prepares for the May 4 gala night where the dance couples will perform routines learned in no more than eight weeks.
Helped by teacher Lauren Weeding, Mrs Tyrell is tackling tap dance, a new style for Stars of the Border.
“I was a bit shocked, because I was sort of like, ‘I don’t even know what that is’,” she said.
“Once I spoke to Lauren about the kind of themes that we could do and how we could make it a little bit more me, I was then much more excited about it and really looking forward to it.
“I can sort of do free flow fun dancing, but tap is very structured and very different to that so it’s been a really big learning curve for me.”
Cancer Council NSW community relations co-ordinator Emma McAuley said rock ‘n’ roll, taught by Johnny Phung, would also make its Stars of the Border debut.
“When we found out that Lauren was a tap dance teacher, we jumped at the opportunity,” she said.
“We are always mindful to try and make each year different and adding a few different dance styles to the mix will definitely keep the crowd entertained.”
Although restricted at first on the dancing front, Mrs Tyrell has been unhindered in her fundraising, passing the $3000 target with an online raffle continuing until May 1.
As a business owner with husband Brad and chair of Business Women Albury-Wodonga, she thanked the Border companies that had sponsored her and donated prizes towards the cause of fighting cancer.
“It’s just too prevalent in society, I’ve just seen too many people and families impacted,” she said.
Immediately keen to join Stars of the Border (“There was no way I wouldn’t do it”), Mrs Tyrell is now tap dancing around home to the amusement of children Ella, 11, and Ayden, 8.
“They’re sort of hoping I don’t embarrass them,” she laughed.
