The Woman Who Added to the Coromandel Dancing Scene
You can stomp your feet, wiggle your bum and have a lot of fun if you join the dance phenomenon that’s growing in popularity around the Coromandel Peninsula and beyond. With a strong beat and catchy music, line dancing appeals to people of all ages and one of its biggest fans is dance teacher, Donna Brooke of Tairua.
“Young and old people find line dancing is fun,” says Donna, as we relax over a cup of coffee. “And whatever your age it’s great for mobility, mental agility, gaining confidence and concentration. But more than anything it’s about being in the community and making new friends.”
Donna started line dancing in Thames early in 2025 and enjoyed it so much that she decided to run her own classes. She calls them the ‘Salty Steppers’. “About 50 people turned up to my first class in Tairua about a year ago. Numbers grew and I started a class in Pauanui and then Whangamatā. Now I do eight classes, with about 250 members overall.” Most dancers are aged between 30 – 70. Donna caters for all levels, starting with a free ‘Give it a go’ class. “I love it when I see grandparents with their grandies on the dance floor. We have men dancing as well as women, and the most senior dancer is 90. With the youngest being 4!”
Now Donna takes classes at Whangamatā Club, Pauanui Club and Tairua Fishing Club. Hikuai Hall is another dance venue and she says the wooden floor there is “beautiful for dancing. It’s so much easier to slide on the wood and the surface is also better for our joints. Now that summer is upon us, the Tairua Tennis Courts is another fun venue! Line dancing can be very fast and we are serious about protecting our bodies.” She points out that when she takes classes on carpet she has sliders available. These are put over shoes to make dancing easier. “But these days most line dancers will have a pair of western boots or proper dance shoes.”
There is a variety of music – pop, Irish, Latin American, and, of course, country … all those favourites that entice you to move to the beat. A new advent is AI music. The dance steps have special names and it’s like learning a new language. There’s the swivet, rocking chair, V step, K step and the shuffle, and Donna says don’t forget the grapevine. There’s quite a bit of twirling around to another direction. (Warning from a learner – if you think that standing at the back of the room you won’t be seen, forget it. At some point everyone turns and you find yourself in the limelight of the front row!) But it’s so much fun and you don’t need a partner to dance with.
“One of the greatest things is that, wherever you go, the line dance steps are the same. Just the way they are put together differs,” says Donna, who continues to learn new moves so that she can pass them on to her classes. She dances at the St James Hall in Thames and Whitianga’s hall and goes to line dancing social events at clubs around the district.
“It’s a really good atmosphere there. You can expect over 100 people turning up from all over the place.” Line dancing is also held at Smitty’s where it is led by local instructor, Ceanne. “What I love there is that I can have dinner plus a social drink as well as dance. It’s a very welcoming way to do it.”
A recent highlight for Donna was the Salty Steppers’ mid-winter Xmas Boots and Baubles social, held at Stonewood Barn in Hikuai, where 140 people turned up from all over the Coromandel and as far as Rotorua and Auckland.
Donna tells me, with pride, that the Salty Steppers have been nominated as finalists in the NZ Line Dancing Awards, for Club of the Year and Instructor of the Year as well as the ‘Sweet As’ award. She is organising a trip to Ireland next year for up to 20 people, with workshops, dancing at clubs and sightseeing. She also has plans for trips to Australia and then Texas.
Donna has lived in Tairua for 15 years. The Bed and Breakfast, Sunlover Retreat, which she ran with her husband Chris, received national acclaim.
This energetic community lady also mentioned her other passion – Tairua River Trail, which is now selling planks at $2,000 a board. The funds go towards building a suspension trail bridge over the Tairua River.
The big project on the go at the moment is the Tairua River Trail Country Festival on the 23rd January 2027. With live bands, DJ, of course some line dancing, mechanical bull and just an all round good country feel, this festival is going to be a hit!
The festival will be held at the Coroglen Tavern and tickets are selling now. I’d recommend people get tickets early by going to www.countryfestival.co.nz
The Tairua River Trail is already two kilometres down the Tairua side of the plan and promises to be very popular. “I like a full life and being part of a community,” says Donna. “I do like to support the community I live in.” And she does.
You are welcome to contact Donna on 0278481612.
www.saltysteppers.co.nz // Facebook: Salty Steppers
Tairua River Trail Country Festival
Saturday 23 January 2027
3 pm – 8 pm
Coroglen Tavern
Live music
- Brendon Ham Band
- The Longhorns
- Dave Ewart
Also featuring
- DJ Sets and Line Dancing
- Mechanical Bull Riding
- Texan BBQ
Helping raise funds to complete the Tairua River Trail
Tickets: events.humanitix.com/country-festival
Website: www.countryfestival.co.nz
Words by Pamela Ferla
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