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Venues
- Ashton Town Hall
- Hyde Town Hall
- Denton Labour Club
- Dukinfield Community Centre
- Droylsden Concord Suite
Members area
Photo Gallery
19th – 21st March ‘10
Making A Booking
3 days, 2 nights Dinner Bed & Breakfast from only £329pp
£100 per person deposit secures your place, the full balance becomes payable 7 days from time of booking.
Book by Credit/Debit Card
Simply make your room selection from the choices below, then select the Add To Cart button and this will direct you to our secure Paypal site.
Book by Post
Simply click here to print out our Booking Form, complete this then post out along with a cheque to cover the £100 pp deposit, payable to Donahey’s c/o Donahey’s, PO Box 209, Ashton-U-Lyne, Lancashire, OL6 OAG. Please allow 17 days from posting for receipt of confirmation.
Book by Phone
Unfortunately we don’t have credit card facilities to enable us to accept telephone payments.
Fri 19th – Sun 21st March 2010
Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool
Join us for the ultimate dancing weekend and enjoy a weekend mixing and mingling with the stars of Strictly Come Dancing. See them perform up close & personal, learn to dance with them, hear all about their Strictly Come Dancing experiences plus have the chance to meet, chat and have pictures & autographs with them.
Matthew & Nicole Cutler - International, European & World Latin American Champions, plus former Strictly Come Dancing Champion.
Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova – Twice British Latin American Champions & Back to back winners of Strictly Come Dancing.
Warren & Kristi Boyce – IDU World Ballroom Champions & all time record holding undefeated 6x British National Ballroom Champions.
Swing Extreme – As featured on Strictly Come Dancing – fabulous swing charlestone troupe.
Tony Greenwood Big Band - A fabulous 15-piece Ballroom & Latin Dance Band, sure to get your feet tapping.
Just take a look what’s included in ALL our dance weekends;
- Over 10 Hours of Workshops to choose from hosted by the stars, champions & Donahey’s – aimed at all levels of dancing ability.
- Breathtaking Dance Showcases up close & personal.
- A fabulous selection of music each evening to dance the night away
- 15-piece Ballroom & Latin Big Band.
- Saturday night Black Tie Ball.
- Exclusive area to meet, chat with the stars and to grab a photo & autograph.
3 days, 2 nights Dinner Bed & Breakfast from only £329pp
Even the small things like;
- A complimentary 12-page glossy souvenir programme for autograph’s.
- Ample free car parking.
- Reserved seats throughout the whole weekend.
- Jugs of iced water on the tables refreshed throughout the day.
- Reasonable hotel snack & drink prices.
- Welcome dance bag.
Our dance Weekends are truly inspirational and a great chance to improve your dancing, try new styles, learn new steps, develop your technique along with a fabulous opportunity to be taught by the stars of Strictly Come Dancing themselves. If you’re not sure what to expect, just have a look at some of the fabulous comments we received from the Celebrity Stars & our guests.
The Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool with everything under one roof is a fabulous venue to host this event, the hotel benefits from a stunning purpose built 4,000 sq ft sprung maple wood ballroom. The UK’s largest Hotel Ballroom – this isn’t a conference room with a temporary portable dance floor down!
Event supported by Supadance Shoes - The finest dance shoes in the world
Weekend With The Stars
‘Absolutely amazing, well organised and an extremely fun filled weekend. So much to take part in and everyone having such a great time’ Karen Hardy
‘Paul, you’re such a Superstar for organising such a fabulous event’ Anton Du Beke
“Dance weekends with Donahey’s are a fun and exciting break for anyone who loves to dance or wants to learn. They are very professionally organised and they really look after you. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and the team are great. A must for your diary” Flavia Cacace
“Donahey’s events are one of the best and professionally organised events. The people attending the workshops are very friendly and make the atmosphere great” Vincent Simone
“What can I say? What a great weekend. We do shows all over the country but never have we had so much fun and met so many great people. I have to say Donaheys have done an amazing job organising the whole weekend, hope to be back soon!” James & Ola Jordan
Weekend With The Stars
One thing you can be sure of this will be a fabulous dancing weekend full of memories. Spend the weekend mixing & mingling with the stars, you could be learning & dancing with them… In fact you may need to take the next day off work to recover! All the workshops offered are taken by the stars, champions & your Donahey’s team.
19th – 21st March 2010 Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool.
3 days, 2 nights Dinner Bed & Breakfast only £329pp. Single Room Supplement £25 per room.
This isn’t a weekend break organised by a holiday company with some dancing thrown in – this is an exclusive weekend bursting at the seams with dancing, organised by the dance experts. Our weekend will give you the chance to be close to the stars of TV – and will be one you’ll remember for years to come.
The Tony Greenwood 15-piece Ballroom & Latin Big Band - ready to entertain you...
Unlike other dance weekends we don’t sell extra daytime or evening passes – so you won’t get extra people dropping in – just one group for our entire weekender! Our Weekend With The Stars is a wonderful, relaxed social dance weekend and would not be suitable for competitive/advanced dancers – simply come along and enjoy yourselves!
Weekend With The Stars
What guests had to say about our last Weekend With The Stars…..
‘The weekend is fantastic, lessons & shows 1st class’ Clive & Eireen
‘The Pinnacle of our yearly dancing calendar’ Ian & Karen
‘Definitely the d*** b*******. So many people booking for next year speaks volumes for the friendship, fun & sheer enjoyment of the weekend.’ Tony & Nora
‘Fab! Fab! Fab! Each year gets better & better, wouldn’t miss it for anything. Great dancing, great tuition, great shows’ John & Lesley
‘Fantastic yet again, 3rd time & booked for next year’ Janet & Alan
‘Absolutely fantastic, we are first timers to your weekend and have had a fabulous time. Thank you for your immense effort’ Jan & Barrie
‘Donahey’s Delightful Dancing Days – another fab weekend! Year 4 roll on 2010!’ Anne & Ted
‘Fun, action packed weekend – thank you’ Mike & Audrey
‘Great weekend?well done Paul, Shirley & co for a well organised fun weekend’ Keith & Barbara
‘First time for us, was an excellent weekend!!’ Kala & Aneep
‘Well organised, full of variety & fun! Thanks’ Pete & Helen
‘It was our first time and we had a great weekend. Thank You’ Alan & Yvonne
‘What a fantastic & tiring weekend. Thank you? Jenny
‘Brilliant weekend – the first we’ve attended. The workshops, showcases and chance to meet the stars first class & inspiring. Lots of tips to take away – we wish Donahey’s was closer, we’d be there every week.’ The East Anglia Contingent
‘So great to have the stars mingling with the rest of us all the time. Perfect organisation, never a dull moment definitely booking again.’
‘A thoroughly enjoyable weekend’ Ellie & Catherine, Dublin
‘Great weekend, definitely booking for next year. Very sociable and great fun, stars were lovely and really well organised’
‘The Blackpool weekend – I don’t think I have ever had so much fun’ Emma
‘Thank you, so very much, for an absolutely fabulous weekend. It was our first time their with you all and we returned home feeling refreshed and inspired’ Jan & Barrie
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Who teaches the workshops?
The professional dancers from Strictly Come Dancing will teach some of the workshops, along with extra workshops offered by your Donahey’s team.
I’ve never danced before is it suitable?
Our Weekend is designed for enjoyment for everyone, whether you’ve never stepped foot on a dance floor before and want to sit back, enjoy the shows and meet the stars, or if your an experienced dancer and want to take part in the workshops & evening dancing. The level of your participation is entirely your decision, you can join in some of the workshops & dancing, or none at all – the choice is completely yours!
Our Weekend With The Stars is a wonderful, relaxed social dance weekend and would not be suitable for competitive/advanced dancers – simply come along and enjoy yourselves!
What shall I wear?
The daytime is casual, the evenings will be smart look your best for some fab pictures with the stars! For your enjoyment Saturday evening will be a Black Tie Ball.
For dancing; on your feet something comfortable, dance shoes or flattish shoes preferably not trainers. No high heels, flip flops, steel heels or toe caps please. We will be offering a Swing dance workshop on the Saturday, for this we request that you wear flat shoes i.e. trainers/pumps/jazz shoes – heels won’t be suitable for this one.
What level of ability will the workshops be?
Workshops will be offered throughout the days aimed at mixed levels from beginners through to advanced. Styles of workshops include; Ballroom, Latin American, Argentine Tango, Salsa, Swing; American Smooth; Dancercise; Salsacise & more.
My partner doesn’t dance can I take part in the classes?
Yes.
What kinds of age group attend?
Our Weekend is designed for enjoyment by everyone and regularly attracts a mix of all ages so you can be sure of a fun time – some families bring along 3 generations!
What is included in the price?
2 nights accommodation with private facilities; Friday & Saturday 3-course evening meals; Saturday & Sunday morning Full English Breakfasts; Dancing Friday & Saturday evening from 8pm till midnight; Workshops Saturday daytime & Sunday until around 1pm; Dance showcases Friday & Saturday evening, Black Tie Ball Saturday evening.
What standard of accommodation is The Norbreck Castle Hotel?
The Norbreck Castle Hotel is owned by Britannia Hotels and is a comfortable 3 star hotel benefiting from a beautiful 4,000 sq ft sprung maple wood ballroom -the UK’s largest hotel ballroom. The hotel has a wonderful ‘everything under one roof’ feel about it, creating a fabulous atmosphere for us all to enjoy, with everyone staying on site including the stars! A Stunning Ballroom; Central open plan conservatory residents bar lounge serving hot & cold drinks and snacks throughout the day & into the early hours; Two restaurants; Leisure club; Cinema & more.
The Norbreck Castle Hotel has friendly and helpful staff that will go out of their way to ensure you are comfortable, accommodate all your needs and ensure your expectations are fully met.
The Hotel stands on the Queens Promenade seafront at the northern end of the resort. During 2005 this famous Blackpool landmark benefited from a £10 million refurbishment programme.
The bedrooms are comfortable with private facilities, satellite TV, radio, telephone, hair-dryer and Tea & Coffee making facilities. Meals are self service with a choice of food at each meal and as much as you can eat. There is plenty of free parking in the large Hotel car park.
Can we make special room requests at the hotel?
No problem, if you have any specific hotel requests whatsoever such as; extending your stay either side at preferential rates, rooms close to your friends, low floors, near a lift or wish to upgrade your facilities to seaview or Jacuzzi please contact The Norbreck Castle Hotel direct on 01253 352341 and ask for the Conference & Events department. All special requests and upgrades should be organised directly with the Hotel.
What happens in the evening?
There will be dancing for everyone during the evening with fabulous showcases from some of the stars of Strictly Come Dancing.
Can we sit with our friends?
Certainly, when you fill out your booking form, just tell us who they are and we will reserve you seats together in the ballroom!
Your Table
You will be reserved seats at a table in the Ballroom for the whole weekend. A Ballroom seating plan will be on display next to our registration desk on the Friday.
What time do things start to happen on the Friday?
You are welcome to use the full facilities of the hotel including the leisure club anytime on Friday. Check-in for your room will be available from 3pm onwards and will once again be held at the Donahey’s registration desk, located in the foyer outside the Ballroom. Please ensure you have your confirmation letter with you. Dinner will be available in the main restaurant from 6pm and the evening’s dancing & shows will commence from 8pm.
Registration
Donahey’s registration desk, located in the foyer outside the Ballroom, will be available on the Friday from 3pm through to 7pm, please ensure you register here to collect your Wristband.
What time will the weekend finish?
Sunday morning checkout is 10am, please ensure you settle any room accounts and hand your keys in beforehand, our last workshop should finish around 1pm. Safe storage is available at reception for your suitcases & bags, otherwise feel free to bring them into the ballroom.
The Weekender Programme
You will receive your complimentary 12page souvenir programme upon registration with all the details of what we have to offer you over the weekend. For your information, Friday evening’s welcome party will commence at 8pm and our last workshop on Sunday should finish around 1pm. At this stage we are still finalising your weekender programme so are unable to give any further details beforehand.
The Ballroom
All dancing, workshops & shows will be held exclusively in the Ballroom and you must display your wristband to gain entry.
Your Meals
Evening meals consist of a 3-course buffet dinner; a section of the hotel’s main restaurant is reserved for us. There is no table plan for the restaurant, if you wish to sit with friends simply turn up at the restaurant together and the restaurant team will be happy to seat you together. If you are travelling later on the Friday evening and cannot make your mealtime, or you wish to dine at a different time do not worry as the restaurant is open from 6pm till 8pm and they will do their up most to accommodate you at a time you prefer.
Full English breakfast is available anywhere in the main restaurant anytime from 7.30am – 9.30am.
A Premier evening a la carte dining option is available in the Boston Restaurant for a £6 per guest per night supplement, if you wish to take advantage of this on either night during your stay, you are welcome to book this as you check-in to the hotel. Past guests have passed on good comments about the Boston Restaurant, and this restaurant is usually open a little later in the evening, so may be a good option if you intend arriving late on Friday – please check directly with the hotel though for exact opening times for our weekend.
Cameras
There’s going to be lots of great photo & autograph opportunities during the evenings so make sure you don’t forget your camera! Please though, avoid photos or autographs with the stars before and after their workshops & during their shows, thanks.
To reduce the time you are queuing and to increase your enjoyment of the remainder of the evening; following the showcases we are introducing a system whereby guests will be invited by table number for photo’s & autographs with the stars. Please hang fire until your table has been invited, your co-operation with this will be really appreciated and hopefully this should work to allow for the better enjoyment of the rest of the evenings for you
Making payments
To help spread the cost of your dancing weekend we are pleased to offer you the option of paying in instalments. If at any time between now and the balance due date you would like to pay off some of the balance, you are welcome to do so by simply indicating on your confirmation slip the amount you would like to pay off. Due to the high PayPal Credit/Debit Card fees, payments can only be made by cheque, payable to ‘Donahey’s’ or by cash in person. Simply place your payment and tear off payment slip in an envelope & hand in at your Donahey’s dance class, or post to our address. Please allow us upto 21 days from making any payments to receiving your confirmation receipt, many thanks.
Workshops
There is no-need to pre-book your workshops. There will be a selection of workshops suitable for everyone to take part in; these are entitled ‘Introduction to’ or ‘Fun class for all’. Where we offer a number of different level workshops in the same dance style, guests are invited to take part in one of these. Please choose the workshop at the level most suited to your dancing ability in this dance style. To enable each workshop to begin promptly please arrive 10mins beforehand.
I am a lady without a partner – can I come along?
Donahey’s does not have a policy of offering male dance partners to ladies who attend our Weekend With The Stars without a dance partner and we don’t rotate during workshops.
We openly welcome ladies without a dance partner, and we have a couple of Taxi dancers available during the workshops & in the evenings, however we make no promises or guarantees whatsoever. Please do not book our dance weekend under the impression that we supply dance partners for ladies.
Can children come along & take part?
Yes, well-behaved, accompanied children are very welcome to take part and enjoy our dance weekend in full. However, children may not be left unaccompanied at workshops or evening dances whatsoever and parents or guardians must accept full responsibility for the supervision of their children at all times.
