‘That Dog Dancing Guy’ Kevin Newman and his dog Cynder. PHOTO: Matilda Marozzi
The dew is still glistening on the grass at Broadmeadows Valley Park when Kevin Newman opens the car door, letting his two-year-old Border Collie Cynder out of the vehicle.
Attending obedience classes is a Sunday morning ritual for Kevin – also known as “that dog dancing guy“.
“Generally when I say I do dog dancing people ask if I do the cha-cha or the waltz with my dog,” Kevin says.
Like agility or obedience training, dancing with dogs is a classified canine performance discipline. At its most basic level it involves getting dogs to perform tricks to music.
Kevin first encountered dog dancing on YouTube.
“There is a great video of a woman known as Carolyn … and her dog Rookie,” Kevin says. “They do a routine to You’re the One that I Want from Grease. That made me go ‘Oh my God, what is this? I want to do it’.”
Kevin got himself a dog, Cynder, and an instructor, Sue Cordwell, whom he credits with bringing the sport to Australia.
Ms Cordwell founded Melbourne Canine Freestyle (MCF) in 2005, a few years after a dog demonstration group she had been a part of disbanded.
“There was no-one else doing any other formal freestyle sort of work, so I ended up getting someone over from America to gauge the interest,” Ms Cordwell told City Journal.
“We had a very good turn-out and from there I started doing classes.”
Coincidentally, the American Ms Cordwell brought to Melbourne was Carolyn Scott – the woman Kevin had seen on YouTube.
Ms Cordell says she has seen dog dancing grow since the Australian National Kennel Council listed it as an official sport in 2009. The promise of recognition for the skill set required has been a factor.
“Once competitions start you get all the people who are interested in titles, so that helps,” she says.
Ms Cordwell estimates that 40-50 Victorians regularly compete in dog dancing competitions, with even more practising recreationally.
Cynder struts her stuff, jumping of Kevin during training at Dandenong. PHOTO: Matilda Marozzi
Cynder has been dancing for just over two years after beginning the sport at 16 weeks of age. Her current routine is choreographed to Gangnam Style and includes jumps, spins and shuffles to the beat of the catchy K-Pop tune.
In competition, points are awarded according to the difficulty and execution of manoeuvres. Cynder now holds her novice title in the sport, and Kevin hopes she will achieve her intermediate title within the next year.
“I would never put too much pressure on her,” he says. “Everything we do has to be enjoyable for her as well.”
Cynder ready to travel to training. PHOTO: Matilda Marozzi
After obedience training at 8.30am in Broadmeadows, Kevin and Cynder break for lunch. Cynder gets a few hours rest in Mr Newman’s Albion home and then it’s back in the car for the hour-long drive to Dandenong.
As soon as the engine of the small blue hatch splutters into action Cynder falls asleep in her mesh-tunnel on the backseat. She doesn’t move until shortly before 2pm, when the crunch of the handbrake indicates she has arrived at her destination.
Nestled between a football oval and a pigeon showing shed is a small patch of grass where Kevin and Cynder train with Melbourne Canine Freestyle.
The first thing you notice when you arrive is that while the dogs are all different, the owners are pretty similar. Other than Kevin, the people training at MCF are all older women.
“It is like a mother’s club but with dogs instead of children,” Kevin says. On arrival everyone is huddled around the car of a lady with a brindle-coloured greyhound named Willow.
Sadly, Willow had fallen ill in the last week. The shared concern and compassion are palpable.
When the women have been fully updated on Willow’s condition the training begins. Sue Cordwell puts down cones to form a makeshift arena.
Today the dogs are going through their routines for the Royal Melbourne Show. There will be a number of demonstrations, including a group performance, one handler dancing with two dogs and two handlers each taking one dog around the arena.
Melbourne Canine Freestyle practising their moves in Dandenong. PHOTO: Matilda Marozzi
For Kevin, dog dancing has been a good way to keep his dogs fit, mentally and physically.
“I love [dog dancing] because it is something fun that I can do with my dogs. It is a way to improve my bond with them and make them happy and tired,” he says.
“It’s that mental stimulation for [Cynder]. Border Collies are very loyal dogs, so she loves the fact she is working with me, spending so much time with me and listening to me.”
Cynder watches patiently as owner Kevin Newman walks in the other direction. PHOTO: Matilda Marozzi
Kevin also enjoys the chance to perform with his dogs, and regularly does demonstrations to encourage more people to become involved in the sport. Their next event is with MCF this Sunday at the Royal Melbourne Show.
“It’s great because people often don’t know what dog dancing is and when you sort of show them they say ‘I could probably do that’,” Kevin says.
Groups such as MCF and the Dancing with Dogs Club of Victoria run classes to teach people the basics and help them get into competitions if they want to pursue dog dancing titles.
“The more people that get involved the better,” says Sue Cordwell.
Cynder rests after a long day at dance practice. PHOTO: Matilda Marozzi
After the dancing is over, tea is served and it’s time to go home.
The setting sun makes for a glary drive home in Melbourne’s west. For both dog and handler it has been an exhausting but rewarding day.
For Kevin, dog dancing is more than a few party tricks to show friends and family, it is a way to get closer to man’s best friend.
“Cynder trust me to be her leader,” he says.
“She is my best buddy, my best friend. That’s kind of the easiest way to put it.”
Best friends. Kevin Newman and his dog Cynder. PHOTO: Matilda Marozzi
