Brothers Daniel, Jono and Callum Hopkirk have always been incredibly proud and fiercely protective of their sister Rosa, who has Down syndrome.
But as they reached adulthood, the siblings realised Rosa was missing out on some of the social opportunities, events and parties they loved going to.
“Everyone has a story about Rosa and they’re always funny,” says Daniel, 40, a creative agency managing director. “She has a great sense of humour and brings out the best in people.
“She was always the life of the party at home with her dancing and personality, and it dawned on my brother Jono that she didn’t have the same opportunities to go out that we do, so we thought, ‘Why not create it ourselves?'”
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The result of their idea and hard work is Dance For Abilities – a not-for-profit, which aims to host dance parties for people
with intellectual disabilities that rival any other mainstream events.
Previous Dance For Abilities successes have included a fancy soirée in the Cuvee Lounge Bar at Auckland’s Ellerslie Racecourse and a Fashion Week closing party with 360 attendees, where Rosa and 13 of her peers walked the catwalk in designer clothes.
“I wore an Adrian Hailwood dress,” shares Rosa, 37, who lives in a supported living flat with four others in Tauranga. “It was freaky, but I felt gorgeous and cute.”
Smiling at his sister, Daniel adds, “You didn’t look nervous – you looked like you owned it.”
Now, after a two-year hiatus due to Covid, Daniel is excitedly preparing for the next party, themed Dancing With Our Stars.
Come June 15, exclusive Auckland venue Glasshouse will be full of excited party-goers in their ballroom best. There will be showcases from Dancing With The Stars NZ professionals, and several celebrities, including Antonia Prebble and Claire Chitham, will be in attendance.
“We try and think, ‘What are those big events in society that everyone envies? And how do we create these moments where people like Rosa get to explore them too?'” says Daniel, explaining they rely on funding and donations to provide the tickets for free.
In the past, these party passes have been snapped up in less than an hour, demonstrating how meaningful the events are to the community and their families.
Rosa and Daniel at a dance party in 2018.
Countless hours go into organising the get-togethers with the support of dedicated volunteers, including Daniel’s partner Georgina, but it’s all worth it to see Rosa having an amazing time.
“It makes me feel very happy to see my friends and make new friends,” says Rosa, beaming. “I love dancing and I love dancing with my very kind-hearted brothers.”
Auckland father-of-two Daniel continues, “It’s really rewarding and some of the feedback has been quite overwhelming. One of the young women who modelled on the catwalk at the Fashion Week party told me it was a dream she never thought would be possible and one of the best things she’s experienced in her life.”
It’s clear to see the close and unique bond Daniel and Rosa share as they gently poke fun at each other.
Daniel credits their mum Ann for instilling such strong values in them.
“Mum’s a real matriarch,” shares Daniel. “She was always big on family and friends coming first, and she still is. She’s also very giving and caring, so a lot of this stuff stems from her. She’s Rosa’s biggest advocate in the world.”
Ann was a midwife while her children were young and is now an advisor for the International Confederation of Midwives, where she advocates for women and their babies all over the world.
The Waiheke Island mother-of-four shares it hasn’t always been easy to find spaces Rosa is fully accepted and when she was a young child in the early ’90s, Ann had to fight for her daughter to be included in mainstream school.
Ann’s proud of Daniel, whose had his sister’s back from a young age. Now Rosa’s a fun-loving aunt to one-year-old Harper.
With her own passion for advocacy, Ann, 69, is thrilled her sons have picked up the mantle too.
“I am immensely proud that the boys have taken this up,” enthuses Ann, who can’t wait to see what her talented children do next with Dance For Abilities. “It’s a testament to them that they have the heart for not only Rosa, but the community she lives in too.”
Since launching in 2017 in Sydney, where brother Jono is based, they’ve organised more than 20 events in Australia and Aotearoa, and hope to one day offer the same experiences in London, where brother Callum lives.
“With more funding, we can do bigger and better to reach more people with unique abilities, put them in the spotlight and enable them to feel like rock stars,” says Daniel.
To help Dance For Abilities reach its fundraising goal, go to givealittle and search dancingwithourstars
