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Rob Ewart  President  

Rob only discovered the pleasure of Rock'n'Roll dancing just a few months before the demise of Just Rock.   He credits Kevin & Carol Ross of the Fourmost Dance Company for stimulating his interest in the more technical aspects of this form of dancing.  

Once retired after a notable career in Local Government, supporting community arts, sport and leisure activities, Rob felt obliged to get involved with the VRRDA.  He is also a Forum Moderator on www.vicrock.com.au. Along with his wife Margie, Rob loves the raunchiness of Melbourne's pub scene and prefers dancing to Roots Rock, Rockabilly and R&B. During his time on the Committee Rob has served as Competition MC, Publicity Officer and Treasurer.

2021/22 Committee

Annette Niven  Secretary

Annette loves all forms of dance and it has been her main hobby throughout her life. She started dancing at an early age; learning ballet and tap when young. She took up ballroom dancing in her mid-twenties and went on to complete Gold Medal exams in Ballroom and Latin American.  She began learning Rock'n'Roll dancing in 2001 at Fourmost. Rock'n'Roll is now her way of keeping fit while having fun and making lots of new friends.  With her partner, now fiance, David, she has competed in VRRDA State Championships since 2002, with impressive results. They have regularly competed in the SE Australian Championships and at both Wintersun & the Adelaide Championships, consistently bringing home more trophies.

David Gilfillan  Treasurer

David started to learn Rock & Roll in 2002 through the inspiration of his partner Annette Niven, who at that time was a member of the Fourmost Dance Company. It was under the watchful eyes of both Kevin and Carol Ross, the teachers at Fourmost, that David found a lasting desire to learn the art of dance.  David openly admits that through the friendships shown to him from others within the dance group, and from dancers around the Melbourne area and Interstate, he has formed lifelong friendships.

Both he and Annette have competed locally and Interstate, with much success over their dancing journey, and can still be seen today in and around the competition scene.  David's first love in sport would have to be that of following his beloved Manchester United which he has done since 1973.  He is a big fan within the AFL of Hawthorn FC and is a keen fisherman in his leisure time, given the opportunity.

Vacant   Vice President

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Don Malek    Committee Member

Don is a business executive who has a great passion for competitive dancing, which now includes being the VRRDA Senior State Title holder in 2015 & 2017, VRRDA Teams and Triples winner, ARRDC New England Senior Title holder (Swing section), a TV performance and a number of Melbourne Open & Wintersun podium positions to name a few. As Don put it, this, of course, would not be possible unless we acknowledge Kevin & Carol (Fourmost Dance Company), Steve Octigan (Two’s Company dance studios) and Nigel & Linda (Jive Cats) for their passion to teach.  Don & Cheryl’s passion has taken them throughout Australia and to international events such as the New Zealand Rock'n'Roll championships, Swing & Lindy championships in LA and they even danced with the locals in Alaska, Nashville, NY, Canada, Germany, Slovenia, Caribbean and beyond.  Don and Cheryl have made many friends and enjoyed what dancing has given them over the last few years, and as such, Don joined the VRRDA with the philosophy of "wanting to give something back" to a dance style that has given both of them so much.

Anne Truex  (Hermens)   Committee Member

Anne had a love of music from an early age.  In fact, she had a crush on Paul McCartney and the Beatles from the age of three.  Her mother had been in the Corps de ballet of the Borovansky Ballet Company and toured Australia & New Zealand with them.  Saturday afternoons were spent listening to great ballet music.  Sunday afternoons were spent listening to the Rolling Stones, Beatles, etc, choreographing dance routines with her friends to perform later for the family.  So began her life with music.

Dancing didn’t happen until she was dragged to dance lessons by a work colleague in October 1994.  Jeff Beck, from Star Belle dance studio, was her teacher for Rock’n’Roll and Ballroom.  After the first session she was hooked and didn’t miss a lesson from then on.  She was keen to learn (learning both the lead & follow parts) and attended many workshops (Marcus & Baerble, Fourmost, Adrian, etc) as well as many dance classes and dance festivals over the years.

In 1996, with only 18 months tuition under her belt, she began teaching Rock’n’Roll.  In 2002, she formed Hooked On Rock.  This is her own Rock’n’Roll dance group, providing weekly lessons, workshops and dancing opportunities for her group.  Anne was a committee member of the Gippy Rocks Festival, a 3-day Rock’n’Roll festival, held annually in Sale, Victoria.  She competed in the VRRDA championships twice, with moderate success.  

Anne was inducted into the Victorian Rock’n’Roll Dance Hall Of Fame in 2018, much to her surprise.

She considers being on the VRRDA committee, a privilege, but a bit scary!