30/11/2024
To the DK Community,
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to ensure DK continues to operate in a sustainable and straightforward way.
When Gary (Dad) took over DK, he had so many dreams of building on the amazing community that DK already was. I was lucky enough to see his passion and drive firsthand. Gary wasn’t in it for the money—his goal was always to bring people together through dance. He truly believed that anyone could learn the basics of social ballroom dancing with just a bit of encouragement and some clever teaching methods he developed over the years.
Ballroom dancing brought so much joy and energy to both Gary and Stonnie (Mum), especially during their retirement. Sadly, Gary’s time was cut short, and he didn’t get the chance to fully realise his vision. As a family, we’ve decided to honour his dream by opening up the studio to passionate dancers, giving them the chance to use DK’s fantastic facilities and bring more life to the space he loved so much.
To make this possible, we’ve had to change DK’s business model. Moving forward, DK will operate solely as a floor hire facility. This change allows us to keep DK running in a way that fits with our family’s busy lives, while still continuing Gary’s goal of supporting a strong dance community.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve worked with our staff to help them through this transition. We’ve also offered them the first opportunity to take on DK’s goodwill and continue its legacy under the new floor hire model. We’re excited to share that the teachers have formed a group called “Dance with Us.” They will continue many of DK’s much-loved activities, including Wednesday night sessions and Friday night socials. Individual teachers will also carry on running dance exercise classes and private lessons.
We hope you’ll get behind the teachers as they adapt and grow their offerings. The new floor hire model also creates opportunities to welcome new faces and instructors to DK, helping to keep the studio active and busy. The more people coming to DK, the more the teachers thrive.
Finally, we want to thank everyone who has supported DK over the years—especially this past year. Your kindness and support have made us feel so welcome in the dance community, and we’re proud to continue this journey with you.
Thank you for being part of DK’s story.
Kind regards,
Shane Jefferies and the Jefferies Family
