MORE than 800 dancers took the line over the weekend as Tamworth played host to the southern hemisphere’s biggest country dance festival.
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Mayworth saw professional and social line dancers, aged between five and 85 from eight different countries, converge on the country music capital to take part in the four-day workshops and competitions.
The 14th annual event is the brainchild of Tamworth’s Chris Watson.
“It’s been a huge couple of days,” Mr Watson said on Sunday.
“Line dancing was said to be a fad in the 90s, but it just keeps growing. Everyone can do it, no matter your age, it doesn’t discriminate.”
Country artists Travis Collins, Dan Murphy and Grammy winner Ty Herndon performed at the festival, as well as Ashley Dallas, who made a surprise performance of her new hit Feel the Beat at the most highly-contested competition in Australia on Saturday night.
Melbourne-based troupe, Cowboys and Angels, took out the Australian Cup during the festival.
Some of the world’s-best instructors made an appearance at Mayworth, including Rob Fowler from France, Guyton Mundy, of the USA, Philip Sobrielo, of Singapore, Rebecca Lee from Malaysia, and Nigel Mooney, of New Zealand.
Mr Watson said the economic spin-off from the festival was a huge coup for the city.
“An event like Mayworth has such a great economic impact on Tamworth, flights are full, coach groups have booked and with so many people staying in the city for between 4 and 5 nights the tourism and income generated will have a great impact on the city,” he said.
