2025 Review: A Year of Lessons, Missed Beats, and Finding the Right Rhythm Again

fiestalocacq
Dec 23, 2025
4 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

Running Fiesta Loca Central Queensland as a sole trader in 2025 has been one of the most challenging — and quietly rewarding — years of my professional life.

This year wasn’t about big wins every week or packed dance floors at every event. It was about learning where things didn’t land, recognizing when the music didn’t connect, and figuring out how to realign when the dance floor shifts beneath you.

There were events I couldn’t attend. Practice hours were relentless. Classes I now know I could have delivered better, structured differently, or promoted more effectively. And yes — there were some genuine mishaps along the way.

But that’s the reality of running a community-based dance business alone. You don’t just teach. You plan, promote, set up, pack down, invoice, troubleshoot, encourage, listen, adapt — and then do it all again the next day!

Where Things Missed the Mark in 2025

Let’s start with the harder truths.

Swing numbers are down. Latin numbers are down. Some styles simply didn’t take hold in Central Queensland the way I had hoped. West Coast Swing never gained traction. Carolina Shag didn’t land either. Slot-style dances — despite their beauty and sophistication — just didn’t resonate locally. That’s not a failure of the dances themselves, but a reminder that not every region responds to the same rhythms.

Latin, too, has shifted. The heat around Salsa and Bachata has cooled. Merengue interest has dropped off significantly. This forced me to ask a hard but necessary question: Did the interest fade… or did I drop the ball by focusing elsewhere?

The honest answer is probably a bit of both.

Zumba was another learning curve. Two complete restarts on a Monday. Both failed to gain momentum. Running it at the Marina didn’t work. Even the free dance sessions in the parklands — despite good intentions — didn’t convert into sustained engagement. That’s feedback. Clear feedback.

The Space Matters

One thing 2025 made crystal clear: the precinct works.

The Christmas farewell parties — even with lower attendance — had incredible vibes. Great energy. Real connection. Families felt welcome. Kids could play. People could dance, chat, eat, and breathe.

That 5–8 pm window? Gold. Teatime. Playground nearby. Barbecues ready to go. That’s community! Moving forward, that’s where the focus needs to be — evenings or Sunday nights, accessible, relaxed, inclusive, and family-friendly. Less forcing momentum, more letting it grow naturally.

The Precinct — The Communities & Families precinct

The Highs That Made It Worth It in 2025

And then there were the moments that reminded me why I do this.

The medal examinations were a huge highlight. Three students showed incredible commitment and achieved outstanding results — all scoring well into the 80s and 90s, including high bronze and ballroom honors. That achievement didn’t happen overnight. It came from a full year of consistency, trust, and effort — from all of us. That’s a win I’m deeply proud of!

Medal Awards - Charm, Bernadine Stu, Christine

Then there’s line dancing. Starting in June, it has been nothing short of a phenomenal success. So successful, in fact, that newer dancers struggled to keep up after only eight weeks — which is a great problem to have!

In 2026, the plan is clear:

A true beginner class with simple, accessible routines
A high-beginner class with more complex choreography

Line dancing, right now, is helping keep the business moving forward — and it deserves that investment.

Capacity, Burnout, and the Need to Let Go

One of the biggest lessons of 2025 is this: I’m at capacity.

I can’t teach everything and run the business side properly. Bookkeeping slipped. Accounting needs fixing. Systems need streamlining. Payments and bookings need to be easier and more user-friendly. The website has bugs that need attention.

That’s not from lack of care — it’s from doing too much alone. There is demand for ballroom, old time, and new vogue. I’ve been approached five to six times already. That tells me there’s opportunity — but only if I bring in instructors to help carry the load.

I don’t want to overextend. I want to build sustainably.

Looking Forward, Not Back

Despite the hurdles, 2025 has been a good year.

Not an easy year. Not a perfect year. But a necessary one. The failures weren’t dead ends — they were signposts. The wins weren’t loud, but they were meaningful. And there is still so much room to improve — which is exactly where growth lives.

In 2026, the focus is clear:

More community-first events
Smarter, segmented marketing
Better systems
Less stretching myself thin
More presence where it actually works

We’ll also be reconnecting with events like the Mount Larcom Ball, neighborhood festivals, local multicultural events, and the precinct — seeing how we can support, contribute, and dance together again.