Sway and Sand

Sway and Sand Renée has been dancing since she was 5 years old. Renée has been in dance groups in Fiji, England, and is now in Australia. This is what she shares.

Island dance classes | Beach therapy | Group workshops | One-on-one | Retreats | Gift Certs available

Renée uses island dance (sway), and beach therapy (sand) together with other tools to guide women to feel & soften into their femininity. At 8 years old she taught her first group of students (yes, really) - her classmates in primary school, who then performed for parents and teachers. She has pe

rformed in events ranging from private functions for family and friends to entertaining on international cruise ships, to major tourism & sporting events with audiences in the tens of thousands, and everything in between. Over the years Renée has repetitively been asked to teach island dance (to more than just family and friends), and is excited to now be sharing her love of dance with others. For Renée, Island dance is not just about swaying hips and learning actions to a song. Rather, Renée uses it as a tool, in addition to others, to soften into her femininity. These tools individually are simple, yet so effective in shifting mood and energy when everyday life feels a little crazy. If any of this resonates, join her - you won’t regret it :)

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Check the events tab for the next round of the Absolute Beginners Island Dance program - a 4 hour class where women over 30 yo go from not knowing how to shake your hips, to knowing a full (basic, beginner level) island dance. AND you'll also create your own floral headpiece!

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One-on-one sessions are also available (private message me to book in a session).

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A bit shy? Would you rather do the Absolute Beginner Island Dance session in a small group of your friends/family (over 30 yo), private message me. Minimum of 5 people required.

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Know someone who you would like to gift the Absolute Beginner Island Dance session to? Private message me for details.

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Getting married and want to surprise your new husband and your guests with a performance? I can help you do that too. Private message me for details.

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ONGOING CLASSES are soon to be announced.

30/06/2025

I’ve been asked to help host a workshop for children (5 - 12yo) teaching them how to make fresh flower lei’s. So of course I had to have a little play this morning, in the name of getting costings right 🌸🌼

29/06/2025

So proud of these ladies for getting through a whole dance (multiple times, individually, in pairs, and as a group) WITHOUT me dancing in front of them as a guide! So excited about teaching more dances and getting more of the ladies to this point and beyond 🙌💃 Rhiannon, Joe N Mereia, Tricia, Ged 👏👏👏

❤️ my connection to culture and dance ❤️
25/06/2025

❤️ my connection to culture and dance ❤️

Tired of being “in your head” all the time? Craving something that lights you up from the inside out?Join us for a power...
15/06/2025

Tired of being “in your head” all the time? Craving something that lights you up from the inside out?
Join us for a powerful 4-hour experience designed to awaken your femininity, shift your energy, and reconnect you with your body—no dance experience required.
On the surface, you’ll learn the graceful basics of island dance. But at its core, this is about feeling again. Softening. Letting go.
🌺 What You'll Experience:
1. Island Dance for Beginners:
Move your hips to the gentle rhythms of the islands as you learn the flowing, feminine basics of island movement—step by step, with zero pressure.
2. Feminine Energy Tools:
Discover 3 practical tools you can use anytime to reconnect with softness, peace, and power—even on the craziest days.
3. Creative Embodiment:
Craft your own beautiful floral headpiece in a mindful, soul-nourishing creative session. All materials and guidance provided.
✨ This experience is for you if...
✅ You’re a woman 30+ who's ready to feel lighter, softer, and more in tune with her body
✅ You’ve never danced before (and want a safe, welcoming space to start)
✅ You’re looking for something deeper than just “exercise”
✅ You want to experience joy, beauty, and your own feminine energy again
What Other Women Are Saying:
"Thoroughly enjoyed every moment. What a beautiful dance and dance taught by the best" - Rhiannon

"More than just a hula dance class, your sessions are a celebration of feminiity and self discovery. I was not expecting to be feeling that much empowerment" - Mereia

"We will be back for more classes. We all loved it..." - Sandra

15/06/2025

Fitting in a bit of nostalgic dance while waiting for my first private lesson to start.
I learned this dance as a teenager. At the time, I was very heavily into my outrigger canoeing days. Actually, basketball and outrigger canoeing at the same time really.
But this dance resonated so well at the time and I absolutely loved performing it.
Felt so good to give it a go again today 💃
PS the private class went so great. I love when there are breakthroughs and correcting a single misstep, or simply remembering to bend knees can make such a difference. I’m so proud, and look forward to having progress type content to share 💃

Flyers printed and ready to be put up 💃💃💃So excited to get more people joining this beautiful art
14/06/2025

Flyers printed and ready to be put up 💃💃💃
So excited to get more people joining this beautiful art

It’s a fun hair day 🤪
11/06/2025

It’s a fun hair day 🤪

08/06/2025

Gold Coast ladies over 30! You’ve been looking for something different to try. Island dance has always looked so graceful and beautiful to you and you’ve always wanted to learn. Here’s your chance!
I’ve had a few people reach out to me saying they want to join because they have done, and enjoy hot hula (or similar)..This is 100%….NOT that!
That’s not to say that there is anything wrong with hot hula - rather, it’s to manage the expectations of the people who would like to join.
What I am offering is very different. Let me explain….In my opinion, those types of classes do the dance and the culture a disservice. They use it as a workout.
And while yes, you can definitely get a workout through island dance, I believe that intention plays a massive role.
My intention is not to get people together purely to workout.
My intention is to share the beauty of it and honour the dance (and the cultures from which they come) to the best of my ability.
Literally anyone can move their hips from side to side, round and round. That is the extent/level that I feel those franchises allow and limit people to.
The beauty of island dance is in going deeper and exploring the softness and grace within. It’s in telling stories through your movements, not limited to your hips. Even in the fastest drum dance, there is elegance.
That’s the type of dancing that is felt. That’s the type of dancing that mesmerises. That’s the type of dancing that I want to share with women.
My intention is to allow women the space and time to slow down in order to feel into their feminine grace and softness through the dance and other tools that assist is in coming back to our feminine energy. My intention is to do this while honouring, to the best of my abilities and knowledge, the cultures from which these dances come.
Link to the next round of the Absolute Beginner Island Dance is in the comments.
The details:
Date: Sunday 22nd June 2025
Time: 8.30am - 12.30pm
Broadbeach Cultural Centre
Price: $77
Limited to 15 people. 13 currently available

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Gold Coast, QLD

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