In 2005, single parent Julia Park relocated her family from South Korea to Australia. “Mum wanted us to have a better life and career,” daughter Christina said. The family didn’t speak English, and Ms Park gave up her job as a Latin dance coach to make the move. Ms Park did eventually run a dance studio in Sydney, and encouraged children Christina and Felix to dance. One of her dreams was for her children to win a national dance title – a goal they recently achieved as a duo. Sadly, Ms Park didn’t live to see it. She died last December from cancer, aged 55. “I think she would have been very, very happy,” Christina said of their win. “It was one of her dreams for us to be Australian champions,” her brother said. “She always said that she will run down to the floor when we’re announced as the Australian champions. That’s what she would have done, and I know she would have been very proud of us.” The students of Wollongong’s Dancespace 383 studio recently won the ‘adult open’ category of the Australian DanceSport Championships in Melbourne. After several years of hard work – the Gymea residents have often stayed overnight with friends in Wollongong to get more practice time – the siblings/dance partners took out the premier national amateur ballroom dancing title. This followed them winning the ‘adult open’ category of the National DanceSport Championships in Wollongong in June. However, Christina laughed as she said her mother initially didn’t want her children to be dance partners. “She didn’t think the siblings could express… Have that kind of intimacy,” she said. “But I think we have different chemistry to other dance couples.” Instead it was Donna Shingler, owner/head coach of Dancespace 383, and now the siblings’ coach, who suggested they’d be a good fit. “They’re a unique couple in the sense that they have different heights, but in terms of ability I thought it would work,” she said. “They have work ethic, talent, they’re humble, and they’re unique. They’re different to everybody else in terms of musicality, how they move, their performance. “They’ve always got the crowd behind them.” Christina, 24, and Felix, 27, now teach ballroom and other forms of dance in Sydney and at Dancespace 383. Felix said his favourite aspect of ballroom dancing was “the feeling that you get when you’re in motion and dancing in harmony with your partner”. “Also being creative with motion, and expressing your emotions,” he said. “My goal is to inspire people with my dancing, and inspire them to move like I move, or express like how I express.” Mrs Shingler said she hoped the Parks could eventually develop as professionals, competing and teaching abroad, and perhaps open their own studio one day. Mrs Shingler said it was a great sense of achievement to coach a duo to a national title. “From where these kids came from, in a short period of time, they’ve been a major success story. “Not just for us, but also for the industry.” Read more: Illawarra residents flood bushfire appeal with donations
Christina and Felix Park from Wollongong’s Dancespace 383 studio win national ballroom dancing title
In 2005, single parent Julia Park relocated her family from South Korea to Australia.
“Mum wanted us to have a better life and career,” daughter Christina said.
The family didn’t speak English, and Ms Park gave up her job as a Latin dance coach to make the move.
Ms Park did eventually run a dance studio in Sydney, and encouraged children Christina and Felix to dance.
One of her dreams was for her children to win a national dance title – a goal they recently achieved as a duo.
Sadly, Ms Park didn’t live to see it. She died last December from cancer, aged 55.
“I think she would have been very, very happy,” Christina said of their win.
“It was one of her dreams for us to be Australian champions,” her brother said.
“She always said that she will run down to the floor when we’re announced as the Australian champions. That’s what she would have done, and I know she would have been very proud of us.”
The students of Wollongong’s Dancespace 383 studio recently won the ‘adult open’ category of the Australian DanceSport Championships in Melbourne.
After several years of hard work – the Gymea residents have often stayed overnight with friends in Wollongong to get more practice time – the siblings/dance partners took out the premier national amateur ballroom dancing title.
This followed them winning the ‘adult open’ category of the National DanceSport Championships in Wollongong in June.
However, Christina laughed as she said her mother initially didn’t want her children to be dance partners. “She didn’t think the siblings could express… Have that kind of intimacy,” she said. “But I think we have different chemistry to other dance couples.”
Picture: Sylvia Liber
Instead it was Donna Shingler, owner/head coach of Dancespace 383, and now the siblings’ coach, who suggested they’d be a good fit.
“They’re a unique couple in the sense that they have different heights, but in terms of ability I thought it would work,” she said.
“They have work ethic, talent, they’re humble, and they’re unique. They’re different to everybody else in terms of musicality, how they move, their performance.
“They’ve always got the crowd behind them.”
Christina, 24, and Felix, 27, now teach ballroom and other forms of dance in Sydney and at Dancespace 383.
Felix said his favourite aspect of ballroom dancing was “the feeling that you get when you’re in motion and dancing in harmony with your partner”.
“Also being creative with motion, and expressing your emotions,” he said.
“My goal is to inspire people with my dancing, and inspire them to move like I move, or express like how I express.”
Mrs Shingler said she hoped the Parks could eventually develop as professionals, competing and teaching abroad, and perhaps open their own studio one day.
Mrs Shingler said it was a great sense of achievement to coach a duo to a national title.
“From where these kids came from, in a short period of time, they’ve been a major success story.
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