MEET THE TEAM
Behind every great competition is a team of people who help bring it all together.
Meet the event directors, judges, MC and event scorers who will be part of the Australasia Dance Championship 2027 in Queenstown.
Event leadership
William Plain
Event Director & Head Judge
Jaime Ngawaka
Event Director
Our judges
Adrian Lefebour
Ben Summerell
Donna Pearce
Jamie Robinson
Kate Smith
Luke Watson
Nigel Mooney
Stacey Robinson
Stephen Watson
Keeping the weekend running
Rhys Pearce
MC
Laressa Frost
Head Scorer
Nathan Torrens
Event Scorer
EVENT DIRECTORS
William Plain
Event Director & Head Judge
Will has been competing in line dance since 1999 and has been coaching competitors for the World Championships since 2014. With multiple world titles to his name across solos, duos, quads and team categories, he has built an impressive career on the international stage.
In 2017, Will became a coach and choreographer for Team Australia, helping more than 50 Australians pursue their dreams of becoming world champions. His experience and passion for developing competitors have made him a respected figure in the competitive line dance community.
In recognition of his contribution to the sport, Will received the Unsung Hero award at the 2025 Australian Line Dance Awards and was named Line Dancer of the Year in 2026.
Jaime Ngawaka
Event Director
Jaime's dance journey began with 14 years of ballet, contemporary and jazz training before discovering line dance while living in Malaysia. There, she trained with Joy Club Dance Academy under Joanne Wong, developed a passion for technique and performance, and competed with Team Malaysia at qualifying events across Asia. She also completed her UCWDC teaching certification.
After returning to Australia, Jaime continued teaching and coaching, with a particular passion for helping dancers build confidence and achieve goals they never thought possible. As a World Dance Masters coach, she guided Central Queensland's first team to the event, resulting in two world champions.
Now based in New Zealand, Jaime teaches weekly classes and focuses on preparing New Zealand competitors for local and international competitions. Her coaching has also contributed to New Zealand's first All Star achievement.
JUDGES
Adrian Lefebour
Based in Melbourne, Australia, Adrian is an internationally acclaimed line dance instructor, choreographer and competitor. He is Vice President of the Victorian Line Dance Association and co-runs Dare 2 Dance Melbourne with business partner Jessica Lamb. Together, they have co-run the Southern State Line Dance Championships since 2010.
Adrian began dancing in 1999 and competing in 2000, going on to earn numerous titles across Australia and achieve World Champion status at the 2026 World Dance Masters in Blackpool, UK.
Choreography is another major passion, with award-winning dances including Hoedown, Dance With A Stranger and You Need To Calm Down. His other works include Temptation, Looking To Love, Horseback and Dance Like an Animal. Adrian regularly travels to teach, share his choreography and judge competitions.
Ben Summerell
Ben has been line dancing for more than 30 years and is a highly regarded competitor, former World Champion, choreographer and judge. A founding member of Cowboys & Angels, he also formed the competitive dance group Bandits with Jessie and Ryan in 2006.
Ben won the Australian Open Duo title in consecutive years at the Australian Line Dance Championships in 2009 and 2010. He went on to represent Australia at the World Dance Masters in the UK in 2015 and 2016, achieving World Championship status.
With a background in jazz, tap and lyrical dance, Ben brings a diverse dance foundation to his performances. He continues to compete with Bandits and Cowboys & Angels and is well known for his charismatic stage presence and gravity-defying cowboy hat tricks.
Donna Pearce
With more than 30 years in line dance, Donna is an established Australian instructor, choreographer, competitor and co-founder of Cowboys & Angels WA. Her journey began in 1992, progressing from social dancing to competition at state and national level.
In 2008, Donna and her husband, Rhys, established Cowboys & Angels WA, building a vibrant dance community through their classes. She later represented Australia at the 2014 World Dance Masters in Blackpool, winning a gold medal as part of Team Australia.
Today, Donna judges major competitions around Australia and directs the WSLU line dance competition. She is also the driving force behind the Pink Boot Charity Ball, which has raised more than $150,000 for charity. Donna remains passionate about growing the sport, supporting emerging dancers and bringing the line dance community together.
Jamie Robinson
Jamie began dancing in the late 1990s and went on to win national titles across Australia with Cowboys & Angels. His journey into international competition grew following judging and competition workshops held in Tamworth in 2013, helping pave the way for the first Australian Masters.
In 2014, Jamie travelled to Blackpool as part of Team Australia's first group of competitors at the World Dance Masters. He achieved success at intermediate level and continued to be part of Australia's growing international presence, with Team Australia winning titles across multiple categories.
Jamie became Australia's first All Star and had the opportunity to perform with Countryvive in a World Dance Masters showcase. Since then, he has played an important role in encouraging and supporting Australian dancers to compete internationally and experience the opportunities of the world stage.
Kate Smith
Kate's love of line dance began at just eight years old in 1996. A founding member of Cowboys & Angels, she helped establish C&A Dance Academy alongside Stacey Robinson in 2007.
Kate's performance experience includes television shows and music video clips such as Australia's Got Talent and Everybody Dance Now. Her competitive journey has taken her to the World Dance Masters, where she first competed internationally in 2013 before returning with her team on two further occasions and achieving multiple world titles.
Alongside competing, Kate continues to judge Australian competitions and support the development of other dancers, including teams preparing for international competition. She enjoys seeing the range of performances that line dance offers, from technical precision and stage presence to musical interpretation and the ability to connect with an audience.
Luke Watson
Originally from New Zealand and now based in Brisbane, Australia, Luke has more than 30 years of experience in the line dance industry. He is an accomplished instructor, choreographer and competitor, with a strong reputation across the Australasian line dance community.
Luke is the lead instructor of Uber Line Dance and has more than 46 published choreographies to his name, including collaborations with several respected Australian choreographers. His dances span a range of levels and styles.
Career highlights include winning Australian Instructor of the Year in both 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, and receiving Intermediate Dance of the Year for Somehow You Do in 2024-2025. He has also been recognised as a finalist for his choreography and teaching in other award years, with Whiskey Or Wine named a finalist for Intermediate Dance of the Year in 2025-2026.
Luke's competitive experience spans Australia and New Zealand, with Australian titles and podium finishes across individual and group categories. Alongside competing, teaching and choreographing, he remains passionate about developing dancers and contributing to the growth of line dancing.
Nigel Mooney
Nigel began line dancing in 1991 at the age of 14 and started teaching that same year. With 35 years of experience, he has played a significant role in shaping the New Zealand line dance community.
Based in Christchurch, Nigel is co-founder of Linedance Christchurch and has been instrumental in bringing a fresh, modern approach to the dance scene. His experience spans competing, choreographing, teaching, leading workshops and judging competitions. He has achieved numerous Australian and New Zealand titles and podium finishes, both individually and alongside fellow dancers.
While line dancing remains his passion, Nigel has also trained, competed and taught in other dance styles, including West Coast Swing, Ballroom, Latin, Rock 'n' Roll and 2-Step.
Today, Nigel continues to grow and modernise the line dance community, attracting large, multi-generational crowds to his weekly classes and travelling extensively to share his knowledge and passion through workshops and festivals.
Stacey Robinson
Stacey's passion for dance began at a young age and led her to complete a Master's degree in Contemporary Dance, developing her interest in whole-body movement, technique and storytelling. She is a founding member of Cowboys & Angels and co-founded C&A Dance Academy with Kate Smith in 2007.
Her performance experience includes Australia's Got Talent and Everybody Dance Now. In recognition of more than 20 years promoting line dance, Stacey was inducted into the Southern State Line Dance Championships Hall of Fame.
Stacey became Australia's first female All Star in 2015 and has achieved world titles across solo, duo, quad and team categories. A qualified World Dance Masters judge, she continues to support and train Team Australia competitors. Stacey is passionate about performances that combine technique, styling and musicality to express emotion and tell a story through movement.
Stephen Watson
Stephen's line dancing journey began at the age of 11, growing into a lifelong passion for the sport. At just 18, he and his twin brother Luke won the first-ever New Zealand Championships Choreography Competition, marking the beginning of a strong involvement in competitive choreography.
Throughout his career, Stephen has enjoyed competition success as a co-choreographer of numerous routines that have achieved podium finishes. He has competed nationally in New Zealand and internationally in Australia across solo, duo, trio and team categories.
Beyond competing, Stephen has taken on many roles within the line dance community, including instructor, coach, judge, DJ, event host and MC. He also teaches weekly beginner classes, sharing his knowledge and encouraging new dancers to discover the enjoyment of line dancing.
For Stephen, line dancing is about creativity, achievement, friendship and community. He remains passionate about giving back to the activity that has shaped so much of his life.
EVENT TEAM
Rhys Pearce - Master of Ceremonies (MC)
Rhys's line dancing journey began in 1994 at just eight years old in regional Victoria. Since then, he has become a familiar face in the Australian line dance community, experiencing the sport as a competitor, judge, event organiser and MC.
A founding member of Cowboys & Angels, Rhys co-founded Cowboys & Angels Perth with his wife, Donna, in 2008, helping grow the line dance community in Western Australia. In 2014, he represented Team Australia at the World Dance Masters in Blackpool, where he also took on MC duties, combining his competitive experience with his natural talent for entertaining a crowd.
Today, Rhys is co-event director and MC for West State Line Up, and MC for The Stomp and the Southern State Line Dance Championships. With more than 30 years in line dance, he brings plenty of experience, humour and personality to the microphone. When Rhys is hosting, you can expect great dancing, an entertained crowd and probably a joke or two along the way!
Laressa Frost - Head Scorer
Laressa began line dancing in 1993, aged 12, when her mother started teaching classes in Rangiora during the 1990s line dance boom. Attending weekly classes in Rangiora and Christchurch, she developed a lifelong love of dance and formed lasting friendships across New Zealand and Australia.
She competed in her first competition in 1997, aged 16, and went on to compete in New Zealand and Australia until 2009 across duo, trio, small team and large team categories, earning numerous titles along the way.
Laressa began her scoring journey at Mayworth in the mid-2000s and has been involved in scoring competitions ever since, both assisting and leading scoring teams. In 2023, she returned to teaching alongside her mother and now teaches six classes each week. With decades of experience as a competitor, scorer and instructor, Laressa brings a wealth of knowledge to her role as Head Scorer.
Nathan Torrens - Event Scorer
Nathan may not be a line dancer himself, but he has become an integral part of the competitive line dance community. Introduced to the sport around five years ago through his husband, Adrian Lefebour, Nathan quickly found his place behind the scenes.
He is Head Scorer for the Southern State Line Dance Championships (SSLDC) and a qualified World Dance Masters scorer, bringing accuracy and experience to the important role of managing competition results.
A self-confessed Excel and statistics enthusiast, Nathan enjoys working with numbers, spreadsheets and data. His contribution is a great reminder that there are plenty of ways to make an impact in the line dance community without stepping onto the dance floor.
