Our chance to say thank you! Let's get Sibby to Southern Blues in Adelaide!

$2,061 of $2,000 goal

Given by 38 generous donors in 15 days

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A gift for Sibby from the wider dance community to attend Southern Blues in Adelaide.

Dunedin, Otago

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Sibby (aka Siobhan) has poured countless hours of unpaid labour (and love) into our local and national dance community. Yet she's only ever been able to attend one Australian dance exchange! Let's work together to get Sibby to Southern Blues. It's our big gift and thank you for the events, teaching, support, and encouragement she has given to our beloved Swing and Blues dance communities throughout Aotearoa over the last decade.

Flights Dunedin-Adelaide return cost $1000 NZD. The event ~$300AUS. Every dollar counts, but please only give if you are in a financial position to do so.

Sibby's impact:

• Dunedin Swing Festival: Her skilled leadership (with an excellent team) made DSF a highlight of the dance year, providing so many important moments of dance education, experience, and connection that have boosted the wider scene for many years.

Karitane Blues: She co-created this event which ran in 2017 & 2018, transforming the blues dance scene in NZ.

• 10yr Swing Riot committee volunteer who took on marketing, big events, teaching, and more!

• Connecting local musicians and dancers, teaching kids jazz, taking part in street performances.

• Supporter, performer, competitor, encourager, teacher, remote committee member at events like Lounge Blues, Oamaru Jazz Festival, Chch Swing Festival, PCX, Auckland Blues Fest, etc!

• Exceptional friend and inspiring dance partner to many.

Thanks to Southern Blues for working with us!

Rebecca Stewart's involvement (page creator)

This fundraiser is being organised by Rebecca (Akl) & Alicia (Chch). As scene leaders, organisers, and friends, we've seen her hard work up close for over a decade amidst many challenges. We think this is the right time and the right event for this gift.

Use of funds

The money will be spent on return flights to Adelaide (~$1000 NZD) & the event ticket itself (~300 AUS). If there are surplus funds, they will go towards accommodation, food, and other travel incidentals.

Latest update

Thank you again!! Goal extended, flight costs have increased 25 July 2026

We continue to be blown away by the support of the community 💙

Now that we know it's all go, we've relooked at flight costs and they have already gone up to around $1300! Which means ~1700 covers flights and ticket.

Fortunately the incredible kindness of the community has meant we can absorb this increase. I have now made the goal $2000 as more donations come in, to see if covering accommodation costs or any additional flight increases is possible.

Again, thank you so much everyone, Alicia and I knew there'd be support, but this has really blown us away and speaks to just how much of a contribution Sibby has made to the dance community.

x Rebecca

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