The item in my house which never fails to make me smile is… My cat smokey. he is about 12 years old. we bought him for my daughter jaz but he lives with me and follows me around like a puppy. I love seeing him sitting on the driveway waiting for me to come home.
The quote that always motivates me is… You get out of life what you put in.
The stimulus for my love of dance was… Just the music. I used to sneak out of bed and watch my parents and their friends dancing at parties at our house and I’d have a boogie behind the lounge chair. Mum said she had to send me to dance lessons because I was wearing out the carpet!
When I’m working hard I unwind by… Having a full body massage. My muscles get so tight from teaching and dancing every day, and massage helps release that tension.
The guilty pleasure that makes me feel better is… A nice cold beer!
The childhood memory I’ll always treasure is… Going to our bach at Clarks Beach [south of Auckland] on the weekends where I would ride my pony, Honey. When my parents were asleep I would bring her inside and sleep on the lounge room floor with her. In the summer I used to sell pony rides for five cents along the beach. I once won a year’s supply of Fanta with a photo I took of her drinking it through a straw.
When I need time in nature… I take a walk along the beach. I love Waiheke Island, and Onetangi beach is the perfect place to walk in the shallows with the sun on my back. It makes me feel relaxed, thoughtful and happy.
The relative who inspires me is… My 94-year-old mother Mary, who is a force to be reckoned with. She’s as sharp as a tack and is still bossing me around. She is both my critic and my greatest fan.
The item in my wardrobe I pull out to feel fabulous is… A little black dress that is very forgiving and hides the extra kilos that may have crept on. I call it The Smother Dress.
A perfect evening with my best friends is… A night at home with a bowl of nachos and a bottle of wine, catching up and laughing.
If I could invite five people to a party I would have… Paul Holmes, my fellow Dancing with the Stars judge Stefano Olivieri, and actors Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler and Russell Brand, because all are known for their great sense of fun and would make me laugh. There is nothing better than a good giggle.
The quote that always motivates me is… “You get out of life what you put in.”
Photographs by: Sally Tagg and Getty Images.