She said her mentor and dance partner, Graham Dwyer had been fantastic, considering he was working with someone whose dance skills were practically zero.

“Being fit and active certainly helps, but I haven’t danced since I was a kid,” Mandy said.

“I went to one jazz ballet class but I’ve never had any formal training.

“My family always give me a hard time about my dancing. When I told them I was doing it, they thought it was quite hilarious.”

Up until this week, Mandy thought she was progressing pretty well, but when she videoed one of their training sessions, she said she was “nowhere near as good as I thought I was” – but time will tell.

“The whole thing has been a heap of fun and getting to know different people has been fantastic,” she said.

“All of us are stepping so far out of our comfort zones, but I love a crowd and I want to be the best.

“I had hoped to win the fundraising part of it, but I think I’ve been pipped at that; then there’s a people’s choice award, but as the event is close to a sellout, there’s not much chance for me to stack the audience.

“It’s a great cause. My family has been touched by cancer. I have a cousin at the moment who’s really battling, so it makes it that much easier to put your hand up for things like this.”

Graham is not only a dance instructor – he’s a qualified plumber having completed a mature-aged apprenticeship with Dillon’s a few years ago.

Prior to that he’d been a farmer, horsebreaker, butcher, baker, candlestick... well, not quite,but he’s certainly carved a diverse career path until gaining his qualifications with distinctions, credits and awards along the way.

The major advantage his dance partner Mandy has is she’s not only learnt the moves – she’s learnt to follow.

“It’s the hardest thing in the world to do, but she can follow my lead,” Graham said.

“Also we have a little bit of a surprise move to do on the night, which should get some hoorahs from the crowd.”

Graham’s been dancing since his dressage instructor told him to take lessons from the age of 12.

Growing up in the Tamworth district, Graham has attended countless balls and country dances and is never short of a partner.

He teaches his favourite style of dance – rock’n’roll – at the Locomotive Hotel on Thursday nights, but in the past five months has learnt 50 new-vogue dances.

The Dancing with the Tamworth Stars night will see 11 couples face off in a ballroom blitz in Blazes Showroom at Wests on June 22.