NEW SHARON — Jeff Harris was taught as a child that he could do anything if he set his mind to it.
The real estate agent, auctioneer, farmer and Regional School Unit 9 director can now add award-winning dancer to his resume.
When Harris, 54, did a benefit auction more than a year ago, he said he would take part in the Kennebec Valley Board of Realtors’ “Dancing with the Realtors Maine, Season 7,” a fundraiser April 6 at Thomas College in Waterville. This year, the competition benefited Waterville Area Habitat for Humanity and Western Maine Community Action housing projects.
He won the foxtrot competition and was very close with the East Coast swing, he said. He also competed in the salsa dance. He brought home two trophies, including one for most improved, which is voted on by the instructors.
Harris started practicing his dance moves in early January at Blue Wave Dance Studio in Waterville, then took private lessons with professional dancers at the Aquarius Ballroom Dance Studios in Portland.
He didn’t like dancing at first, but the more he practiced the better he became. He received encouragement from instructors and other dancers.
The third weekend he showed up to dance, he was a different person on the dance floor. He made up his mind and set his goal.
“I’m going to do this and I’m going to win,” he told himself.
Sometimes he was in Portland three nights a week to hone his dance moves.
“I had fun with it. It taught me a lot about myself. It teaches you a lot about your body,” he said.
Never in his lifetime, he said, did he imagine he would be dancing, especially in a competition.
“I did it for myself,” he said.
Not only did he improve his dancing, he met a lot of people.
“I liked the inspiration of it all. I like meeting people,” he said.
Jill Huard of Waterville co-chaired “Dancing with the Realtors” this year. She started dancing three years ago. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $100,000.
“I plan to dance again and hopefully we can get at least one other dancer from this area for next year, which starts in January,” Harris said. “And they don’t have to be a Realtor.”
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Jeff Harris of New Sharon, a farmer, real estate agent and auctioneer, holds two trophies won at the “Dancing with the Realtors” competition in Waterville in April. Real estate colleagues Alisha Gillespie of Oakland, left, is considering entering the competition in 2019, and Jill Huard of Waterville co-chaired the event, which benefits housing needs in the greater Kennebec Valley area. (Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal)
Jeff Harris of New Sharon dances the fox trot with Yunhee, a professional dancer and instructor from the Aquarius Ballroom in Portland. (Karry Alexander Photography)
Jeff Harris of New Sharon, fifth from left, stands with other winners of the Kennebec Valley Board of Directors Dancing with the Realtors Maine in April. From left are Meg and Mike Loubier, level one winners; Peter Quigley, East Coast Swing dance winner; Cathy Taylor, fox trot winner; Harris, fox trot winner; and Hannah Laverdiere, East Coast Swing dance winner. (Karry Alexander Photography)
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