MEET THE BAND
From left: (as in 2011)
Colin Cooper,
Rick Harris,
Sylvia Sheedy,
Tony Blake,
Dave Davis
MEET THE BAND
From left (as in 2012)
Rick Harris
Pete Van Roy
Tony Blake
Colin Cooper
SYLVIA SHEEDY - (Founder) (now retired in 2012)
Originally from Victoria - Sylvia has been playing drums since her early teens. She turned many a head in earlier days, as girls just didn’t play drums, let alone be in a band with the guys - how things have changed!
RICK HARRIS - Lead Vocals / Harmony / Keyboard / Guitar. (Now with Catfish and the Dee Jays)
Rick has been with us previously for two years and finally has come back to join us once again. He hails originally from New Zealand, and his talents are no end, he has a big, big voice, plays guitar / keyboards, harmonizes with Colin and adds a bit of comical chatter with Sylvia on drums.
TONY BLAKE - Bass / Harmony Vocals (now Retired in October 2012)
Our bass player is the other drive to the band with Sylvia and drives the band along for a good dance beat. Tony has toured extensively all over the world and before joining Dance On was with the “Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show” and toured all over Australia.
PETE VAN ROY - resident Drummer / Percussion / Drums / Vocals (now with Conspiracy and Blues band)
The “hoarse” rocker of the band has been through most eras or music starting in the 60’s covering styles from Jazz, rock, blues and country, playing professionally in New Zealand for many years doing TV backing for various television shows.
DANCE ON BAND – Biography - (PREVIOUS BAND MEMBERS) - 2012
Dance On after 12 years are still there in 2013 and still going strong the ever popular vintage rock n roll band, is as busy as ever and have already many bookings in Brisbane and the Gold Coast in 2013.
Dance On are now a 4 piece band and still consists of popular and professional musicians who were part of the sixties music and now all residents of the Gold Coast.
Playing music that appeals to all ages, club management say their patrons are happy whether they are dancing or just enjoying sitting and tapping their toes to the music of Dance On.
Lead singer Colin Cooper is recognized as being the man in the black hat, Colin started his career as a teenager on the legendary “Bandstand” in Sydney with Brian Henderson along with known
artists such as the Bee Gees, Pee Wee from “Delltones”, Little Patty and of course Lucky Starr and too many to mention. Colin retired from the band on 23 September 2020.
Peter Johnson plays lead guitar, his renditions of the “Shadows” instrumentals are music to the ears, he is a seasoned performer. His versatility is the key, with Peter playing modern times to way back when. Cruise ships are his speciality during the past decade.
Brent Lillie is also a seasoned professional, he has won numerous awards for his song writing. He is multi talented with various instruments playing keyboards, rhythm guitar and bass.
Steve “The Captain” has been performing professionally since the age of seventeen. He brings a whole new meaning to a “drum roll”. He has now joined Dance On permanently and we welcome him
aboard the band.
FOOTNOTE: Always in demand Dance On are followed all over Brisbane and Gold Coast,
and by the dancers when Wintersun or Cooly Rocks On Festivals.
Visitors from all over Australia / New Zealand eagerly check out
Dance On gig guides and follow them from venue to venue from year to year.
Dance On Band. 2019
Lead singer Colin Cooper is recognized as being the man in the black hat, Colin started his career as a teenager on the legendary
“Bandstand” in Sydney with Brian Henderson along with known artists as the Bee Gees, Pee Wee from “Delltones”, Little Patty and of course Lucky Starr and too many others to mention. Colin Retired from the band on 23 September 2020.
Peter Johnson plays lead guitar. His renditions of the “Shadows” instrumentals are music to the ears. He is a seasoned performer. His versatility is the key, with Peter, modern times to way back when.
Cruise ships were his speciality during the past decade.
Craig Keating also a seasoned professional, he plays keyboards, and bass guitar, and is a great asset to the band. He is also another front singer and adds harmony to the band.
Steve “The Captain” has been performing professionally since the age of seventeen. He brings a whole new meaning to a “drum roll”.
He has now joined Dance On permanently and we welcome him aboard the band.
DANCE ON BIOGRAPHIES AND HISTORY
PREVIOUS YEARS 2015
DANCE ON 2019
DANCE ON BAND
It’s great to find a group of professional musicians who truly understand how to connect with, and move their audience.
An infectious beat with boundless stage energy and presence, takes listeners on an unforgettable journey to dance, smile and laugh, and sometimes even toward a tear.
Such a band is DANCE ON.
For over 20 years, Dance On has been at the forefront of the Rock n Roll scene on Queenslands famous Gold Coast.
Over the years, Dance On has gone through several changes, each contributing to the development of the signature “Dance On’ sound.
Each time, Dance On has evolved and become even more versatile, continuing to deliver their much loved brand of Rock n Roll music to their beloved followers in a fresh new way.
Our ever expanding fan base is testament to the ongoing success and popularity of the band over time.
When our fans come up at the end of a gig and say what a great night they’ve had, that is the best reward of all, it encourages us to do even better and THAT is something in Dance On that will NEVER change.
We love our fans, and we love what we do put simply, Dance On delivers.
Experience the music, the sound, the authentic feel, as audiences do what they love to do…...to dance on and on and on.
What ever the format, Duo, Trio, or full 4 piece,
Dance On…. Plays Rock’n’Roll, Pop Rock and Country Music to delight their audiences.
Bookings: Manager - Patricia Lane 0417148493
pattylane828@gmail.com
Dance On Band 2020/2021
Peter Johnson plays lead guitar. His renditions of the “Shadows” instrumentals are music to the ears. He is a seasoned performer. His versatility is the key, with Peter, modern times to way back when.
Cruise ships were his speciality during the past decade.
Craig Keating also a seasoned professional, he plays keyboards, and bass guitar, and is a great asset to the band. He is also another front singer and adds harmony to the band.
Brady Parson is our new drummer. He started off at Guanaba Country Music Club whilst he was still at school, and he has played with Peter at the Gold Coast Show Ball. He also plays in another band called Sunset City (pop/rock). He loves country and rock n roll early material so fits in well with both fields of music.
Dance On Band 2022
Peter Johnson plays lead guitar. His renditions of the “Shadows” instrumentals are music to the ears. He is a seasoned performer. His versatility is the key, with Peter, modern times to way back when.
Cruise ships were his speciality during the past decade.
Craig Keating also a seasoned professional, he plays keyboards, and bass guitar, and is a great asset to the band. He is also another front singer and adds harmony to the band.
Rodney Ford: Rod started his career as a Trumpet player playing in Small and Big Bands at Sydney Conservatorium.
He joined the Army Band in the early 70's where he changed to clarinet and started experimenting on drums.
He went to breathing lessons which changed into full blown singing lessons whilst still in the army.
Whilst in the army he received an offer to play the drums in a club band and continued playing drums on leaving the army band.
This eventually led to gigs with Errol Buddle, Roger Frampton and many other Sydney jazz icons of that era and Australian tours with legendry American guitar players Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel.
Shortly after, began tours with Eberhardt Weber (a wonderful German Bassist of Jan Garbarak fame) and Jack Wilkins (New York guitarist).
An offer to be the resident drummer at JC Williamsons Theatre in Sydney led to a long stint playing shows like The Wizz, Man Of La Mancha and A Chorus Line.
Club shows and Australian Casino tours followed in Sydney with Ginger Rogers, The Temptations amongst others.
In the late 70's, Rodney joined the iconic fusion band Crossfire (of guitarist Jim Kelly fame) after which he eventually left, to work in Europe, he simultaneously played in Roger Frampton's influential band, Jazz Co-op whilst in Crossfire.
Around this time Tommy Emmanuel asked him to play Drums on his first album which was also the first Direct to Disk album made in Australia.
Rodney left for Guam Saipan Japan and then Europe before coming home.
On arrival back in Sydney he joined his brother Warren on the Sydney Showboat and at the same time did the late-night gig at the Bourbon and Beefsteak Bar with notable sax players including Graeme Lyall, Willie Qua, Jason Morphett.
On leaving the Showboat, he went onto the ships, and after finishing the ships, was asked to join Galapagos Duck and Fiddlers Feast (the latter who played at World Expo's in Osaka and Shanghai)
Rodney moved from Sydney to the Gold Coast 6 years ago and now divides his considerable musical talents between the Dance On Band and Gold Coast Big Band Sweet Thunder. He continues to play occasional special gigs with The Duck with whom he has now featured for over 20 years.
NEW DRUMMER - RODNEY FORD