Lees really having a ball! (By Greg Yanda, The Senior, September 2012)
Mosman husband and wife Philip and Magdalen Lee (class of 1964) had high hopes of showcasing ballroom dance and the fact that seniors 'still have it' on our television screens this month.
The couple had been chosen to appear on the new Channel 10 show Everybody Dance Now, and to say they were excited would be an understatement. So news late in September of the show's cancellation was devastating.
The Lees began dancing 13 years ago. They came across ballroom dancing quite by accident and were intrigued by how it challenges the dancers both physically and emotionally.
Soon after joining a dance class, and by chance, they participated in dance group training for the Sydney Olympic Closing Ceremony and were seen by millions of people around the world.
The three months of samba training was the hard part of what was a unique experience.
"The footage that was flashed around the world caught a glimpse of us for about a second; that was enough to encourage us to stick with the dance
hobby." Philip, 67, said. "We discovered we love the limelight and glamour that comes with ballroom dancing."
"Vanity has become one of the reasons we want to dance, but more importantly, we want to do something that is artistic and creative."
One of Philip's teachers told him that he would never be a good dancer: Those brutally honest words sparked him into action and the couple worked hard to improve their routine and understanding the art of dance.
They admit their first competition was a disaster as nerves got the better of Philip. "We were supposed to dance the waltz, but when the music started I
stood there in dance hold but too nervous to move an inch because people were coming at us from all directions." he said.
"We must have stood there for about a minute and finally when I started to move the music was nearly finished. I was so embarrassed I didn't know where to hide my face."
It will be harder to hide his face when the two-time national champions perform on the show, but they have more experience now.
Philip and Magdalen, 64, are the State's top couple in Australian Ballroom and have won eight events in international and Australian-style ballroom dancing this year.
Besides dancing well and being competitive, the Lees wanted to be an example for seniors when they appeared on the television show.
"We hoped to make use of this opportunity to show young people that their parents and grandparents can enjoy dancing as much as they can," the
couple said.
"We also wanted to inspire other seniors to take up dancing at a mature age as it is never too lagte to start."
