Dance With Us owner Tania King (second from left, back row) said she was proud of the community she had created at the studio with instructor Emily Bramich (back right). Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Wagga Wagga has a fantastic dance culture, with countless places for keen movers to get up and get active.
But as an adult, it can be tricky to find one that is accessible, welcoming and fun for people of all skill levels.
Tania King, Emily Bramich and the team at Dance With Us have managed to mix those factors along with one key component: no kids allowed!
“I moved here to Wagga about seven years ago from Sydney, and my sister had a really big dance studio here back in the day. I would come down and help out with the adult dance classes,” Tania said.
“She sold the business. And the adults were like, well, what do we do now?
“In 2018, I opened Dance with Us and at the time, we were at Lake Albert Community Hall. In early 2024, this space at the Esplanade came up. We thought it would be nice to have our own space, and fortunately, all the other dancers came with me.”
Despite working a day job, Ms King said she put everything she possibly could into the studio in hope of bringing joy to the Wagga community.
“This is the love of my life,” she said.
“I actually work in aged care during the day, but I’m here every night. This has brought a lot of joy to people’s lives here in Wagga, and if I can have a positive impact on people, that brings joy to me.”
Open Monday to Thursday and Saturday, the studio offers a mix of adult classes, including jazz, tap and even Zumba.
Ms King said dance offered adults the chance to stay active while also having fun alongside others in a judgment-free space.
“We started here with 38 adults, and we’ve got 75 now, so it’s grown in about 12 months,” she said.
“Of course, we’d like to grow and keep growing, but the whole idea of this is for adults to keep moving.”
Each class has eight to 15 participants. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Glenda and Mia, participants in the Wednesday morning beginners class, began attending classes in 2025. Though new to the studio, they both said they had had the best time since joining.
“All the ladies here are so supportive and lovely; they don’t push you too far, but they also give you positive motivation,” Glenda said.
“At my age, I expected not to be able to do much, but it’s been really great for my fitness and my wellbeing. I’ve never felt sore going home, and I’ve always enjoyed coming back and catching up with all the girls.”
“Emily [Bramich] is such a beautiful teacher, and she really puts a lot of effort into making this a wonderful space,” Mia said.
“She really makes you feel comfortable. Straight away I was able to follow the routine. I didn’t feel like I was off or out of time because she was instructing really well.
“She’s got a beautiful nature and smile and gentleness that’s just really accommodating.”
Ms Bramich teaches several classes a week and has assisted Ms King for years.
The music for each routine varies, with Wednesday’s class consisting of classics from ABBA to more modern hits such as Low by Flo Rida. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Ms Bramich said she was proud of the community Dance With Us had created and only hoped to share it with more people.
“We are super proud, super proud of the environment that we’ve created. It’s very accepting; literally, anyone can just pop into a class, and we would absolutely love to have them,” she said.
“Tania and I have known each other for over 20 years. We first met when I was a teenager. In 2018, she came to me and said, ‘I want to make a place we can dance!’
“I jumped on board, and between the two of us, I think we do a really great job.
“A great environment, not only to work, but just to come and dance and to make friends and just be comfortable with everybody else, with no other things going on.”
To cap off a successful year, Dance With Us is set to have a Christmas Showcase at the RSL club on 13 December at 5 pm.
Ms King said she would love to see as many people attend as possible to see all of the hard work of the dancers.
“Our adult students will be performing, and then after, a talent contest will be held,” she said.
“It goes for about an hour and 15 minutes. We’ve got two professional judges, and one contestant will win $250 cash.
“We’re really excited to be able to bring that to the community. The Wagga RSL has been absolutely fantastic, totally on board with it, and we hope to do it again in the future.”
To get involved with Dance With Us, be sure to visit the studio at 26 The Esplanade or check out its schedule and upcoming events on its Facebook page.
