‘I was taken aback by the sheer joy of it. You saw the level of effort and concentration that went into it from the dancers, but also the thrill of the performance. I was standing at the side of the stage absolutely in tears. There were moments of pure goodness you don’t see much anywhere.’ – Andrew Denton
Love Is In The Air is the uplifting story of The Merry Makers, a unique group of dancers, all of whom have an intellectual or physical disability, and have refused to be defeated by the hand life has dealt them.
In 2008, as part of his Enough Rope series, Andrew Denton screened the multi award-winning documentary The Music In Me, which featured the amazing performers in the Merry Makers, and their artistic director Lucinda Bryant, a young woman who has devoted her Saturdays since the age of 16 to teaching the group.
Now in Love Is In The Air, bestselling author Sue Williams teases out the Merry Makers’ powerful individual stories, providing insight into the love, inspiration and acceptance that the group provides its members and their families. It also contains moving reflections from some of the beloved Australian entertainers who have supported Merry Makers on stage at their concerts – including Todd McKenney, Marcia Hines, Julia Morris and Andrew Denton.
Love Is In The Air, say the critics, is sure to put a smile on your face and will leave you marvelling at the strength of the human spirit.
Love Is In the Air: The Inspiring Star-studded Story of Dancers Who Defy All the Odds by Sue Williams was published on October 1 2009