Whitsundays Dancing CEOs raises staggering amount

A group of dedicated Whitsunday women have competed at a fundraising dance competition after raising an eye-watering amount to help vulnerable women and children. SEE THE VIDEO

A group of Whitsunday women have trained hard and fundraised harder to face off in a dance competition for a powerful cause.

Julie Telford from SeaLink Whitsundays, Kate Purdie from Coral Sea Marina, Candice Crossley from Whitsunday Transit, and Alice Harriott from Whitsunday Family Dental headed to Brisbane for the annual Dancing CEOs fundraiser event.

The women took the stage at Brisbane’s City Hall on Saturday night, putting all of their hard work to the test, receiving universal judging scores of 9.5 out of 10.

This year’s eight competing teams were tasked with raising $41,000 each, as a symbol of Women’s Legal Service Queensland’s 41 years, but team Whitsundays have well surpassed that goal, topping the leaderboard with a staggering $238,734 raised by the Whitsundays team crowning them the 2025 Fundraising Champions.

Whitsundays Dancing CEOs. Photo: Contributed

The women also took out the Community Awareness Award.

After months of training the Dancing CEOs put on a show. Photo: Contributed

Ms Telford said they’d had three goals, all of which they had achieved.

“One was to raise as much money as possible for the vulnerable women and children in our communities and across our state, the majority of whom we will never meet, but whose hardships have touched our hearts,” she said.

“Next was to expose domestic violence for what it really is; to bring the issue out from behind closed doors, where we can challenge it as a community.

“And finally, we wanted to have fun with the experience and bring our friends, families, and wonderful, generous, caring community along for the ride.”

Whitsundays Dancing CEOs headed to Brisbane for the big competition. Photo: Contributed

Ms Crossley, who recruited her teammates last year said the experience had been an “honour and a privilege”.

“I am so proud of what we have achieved as a team; it is a true testament to the power of women supporting women,” she said.

Whitsundays Dancing CEOs training for the 2025 competition in Brisbane. Photo: Contributed

Principal Owner at Chez’s House of Dance in Proserpine, Chez O’Brien, coached the team for five months, training them three days a week, every week.

“When I came on board, the ladies knew what they were doing but needed help to clean up the routine, correct their spacing, perform in time, increase their confidence and add back-up boys who aren’t even physically here,” she said.

“There’s been so many elements to making sure that the performance they put on is

great, but they have done an amazing job and wow, they’ve come so far.”

The hard work has all been for a good cause with money going to WLSQ. Photo: Contributed

Mad Dance House Artistic Director, Che Pritchard, has been choreographing the team’s dance and said, while he didn’t want to give too much away, the performance would be a reflection of the women’s personalities, the group dynamic, and the Whitsundays.

“You can expect to see hips swinging, shoulders rolling, hair flicking, some masculine eye candy backing them up, and four amazing women having the time of their tropical lives,” he said.

After months of training it is all coming together. Photo: Contributed

“After our initial choreography sessions, there were the predictable challenges and frustrations that come with learning to dance, but they all took it in their stride.

“As they do in business and in life, they’ve worked so hard to get to where they are now – which is nailing the routine and having a blast while they do it.”

Dr Alice Harriott said balancing the enjoyment of dancing and the seriousness of the cause behind it had sometimes felt like a mental juggling act.

“While we’re busy dancing and organising costumes and props – and having a whole lot of fun doing so – there are literally thousands of women across Queensland desperately needing help from WLSQ to survive – and that is not lost on us, and in fact, is absolutely our ‘why’,” she said.

Dancing CEOs is an annual fundraiser for Women’s Legal Service Queensland, raising money to help women and children impacted by domestic violence.

Originally published as Whitsundays Dancing CEOs raises staggering amount