Bacchus Marsh resident Edward Kays is the founder, director, and instructor of Neon Cowboy Bootscooters and has a long connection to the region. Oscar Parry spoke with Edward about what he likes most about Bacchus Marsh and line dancing.
What is your connection to Bacchus Marsh?
I’ve grown up here … I wouldn’t necessarily say born and bred, but I’ve spent probably about 36 of my 40 years in Bacchus Marsh. Went to school here, now doing line dancing here.
What do you like about where you live?
Probably the main thing about it is the fact that we’re literally smack back in the middle of Ballarat, Melbourne, and Geelong. It’s far enough away from the city that you’re not having all the city issues but it is only like 45 minutes into town – inner Melbourne. So you’ve still got that country feel but it’s still close enough to do all the city stuff.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
I’m still partial to the older sort of country vibe that it had – it’s getting almost a bit more metro now … still partial to the country vibe that Bacchus Marsh used to have, and in some ways, does still have.
When did you first get into line dancing, and what are some of the things you enjoy most about it?
I started line dancing, I would have been about six. Basically, my mum got me into it. She used to [do] line dancing and there were days I was home from school, whether it be sick or pupil-free days, and she was like, ‘I’m not missing out on line dancing just because you’re home – you’re coming with me’. So, the first few times I went, I sort of did my own thing and sat on the side, but eventually, got up, had a go, joined in – and, yeah, got hooked … the rest, as they say, is history!
The main reason I love line dancing – besides the fact that it’s exercise and good for you both mentally and physically – it’s my zen time, my me time where the only person I have to think about is me. I don’t need to think about what bills have to be paid, what’s happening here, what’s happening there, it’s literally in the moment. That’s probably the biggest bit I love about it. On top of that, you’ve also got … the friendships that you make … I’ve met people from all over Australia, I’ve met people from all over the world, all through line dancing.
If you had to pick your some of your favourite line dances, which would they be and why?
That’s a hard one … there are quite a few … but a couple of old school ones that I’m still quite partial to – ‘Chill Factor’ is one. Another one would be ‘Badge of Honour’. And then a couple of the new ones that I’m really liking at the moment – one is ‘No Remorse,’ and the other I’m really liking at the moment is ‘Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop’ as well. They’d be my top two old school and my top two new school.
