On Sunday 6th July 2008, the National Dancing Association of Australia celebrated it's 50th Golden Jubilee Grand Australasian Championship, with many former winners and a great number of Australian Dancing 'Royalty' in the audience, the VLSHD's Kyle Marston was named Grand Australasian Champion.

The organising committee endeavoured to make the event a sentimental as possible and over the two days many former winners were honoured with a special presentation at a cocktail party on Saturday night and then some of the winners presenting those dancers successful in winning prizes in this years competition.

Amongst those honoured was Douglas McFarland, who won the Australasian in 2003, the first winner of the event to be taught by his mother. Still, over the 50 years of the event Douglas and his mother Veronica remain the only mother/child combination to win the adult championship.

With Kyle learning from both Veronica and Douglas, it was a special moment for the pair to walk onto the stage to receive the winning teachers trophy. Veronica now joins just a handful of teachers who have won the teachers trophy with more than one pupil. A fitting milestone for a woman who has taught SOBHD technique for 45 years.

Kyle now looks to the International Championships in just two weeks time. With an international panel of judges and dancers from all over the country, this will be his final chance to impress before heading to Scotland in August.

GRAND AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONS:

19 Years and Over: Kyle Marston, Central Coast, NSW

16, 17, 18 Years: Nicole MacCallum, NZ

14, 15 Years: Shayleish Emmett, VIC

12,13 Years: Rebecca Smith, Central Coast, NSW

10, 11 Years: Elie Roe-Daniel, TAS

7-9 Years: Courteney Clark, NSW