THOSE Shepparton folk sure love to shimmy. And cha cha, waltz and tango.

Two decades ago Shepparton's Garner siblings - Jeremy and Amanda - first strutted their stuff in the Victorian town, before going on to win national dance titles.

Amanda later performed on TV shows such as Dancing with the Stars, while Jeremy wowed the world, West End and Broadway in the spectacle Burn the Floor with his dancer wife, Sarah.

"I'm one of six kids and we all danced at some stage, but only Amanda and I took it further," says Jeremy, 31.

"I don't know whether it's a competitive thing, but I've always had a drive and determination to achieve."

Now Jeremy - together with Amanda and their parents - is teaching the next generation of Shepparton toe-tappers through the family's Excell Dance Centre. Among their eager students is local lad Rodney Brown and his dance partner, Madeline Bakker, who is from nearby Euroa.

While the 18-year-old duo have enjoyed success in competitions nationwide, Jeremy says it is in the coming Australian DanceSport Championships in Melbourne where they will shine.

"I'm hoping they'll do really well. They've got a nervous country attitude, which we're trying to massage out of them," Jeremy says.

Rodney, who has just finished his VCE exams, says while he's applied to study science at Melbourne University, he dreams of a career in dance.

"I'd love to be able to travel the world and do what Jeremy has done, he's an inspiration," Rodney says. Jeremy says Rodney is benefiting from a new-found acceptance in country towns.

From the daggy days of Strictly Ballroom, dancing is now acceptable thanks to shows such as So You Think You Can Dance.

"It's come a long way compared to when I first started," Jeremy says. "All the other guys at school played footy and cricket and I never told anyone I danced."

Both Sarah and Jeremy have retired from dance through injury, but are passionate about passing on their skills. "We're now channelling that energy into the next generation," he says.