Imagine your neighbors dancing a flirtatious cha-cha, performing a beautiful waltz, or twirling a spicy samba. Local dancers and judges put their own twist on the popular TV show “Dancing With The Stars” when Whitefish Theatre Company brings “Dancing With OUR Community Stars” to the O’Shaughnessy Center on Friday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Six lucky community members will rehearse with the professional Utah Ballroom Dance Company to put on a spectacular show. The company supplies costumes, adds some video highlights, coaches a local judging panel, and puts on a live dance performance, including numbers from the Utah Ballroom Dancers themselves. This company features some of nation’s top ballroom dance athletes who have performed nationally and internationally, earning awards such as the coveted U.S. National Formation Championships. The best part is that the audience gets to vote for the community member who will win and take home the coveted mirror-ball trophy.
“Ballroom dance is taking our nation by storm and re-igniting a passion for this style of dance,” says WTC Artistic Director Jesse DeVine. “A true cross section of community members, most of whom are professed ‘non-dancers,’ have signed on for this new and entertaining event.”
Adds DeVine, “All dancers and judges are having a fantastic time with ‘Dancing With Our Community Stars’ and really embracing the fun factor. How often can you say that you’ve watched the high school principal and the manager of your local brewery strut their stuff in fancy costumes? I know I’m excited to see this show.”
Dancers include: Kerry Drown, principal at Whitefish High School; Carol Atkinson, local community advocate, philanthropist and fundraiser for nearly 30 years, as well as past Whitefish Winter Carnival Queen; Marcus Duffy, general manager of Great Northern Brewery; Paula Greenstein, owner of Wasabi Sushi Bar and The Downtown Flat; Mark Svennungsen, retired optometrist and current Whitefish Winter Carnival King; and a mystery dancer.
Judges include: Matt Ford, drama coach and student teacher at Whitefish High School as well as long-time actor at WTC; Vicki Hill, manager of Whitefish Lake Golf Club Restaurant; Sue Schenck, marketing and community relations at Whitefish Credit Union as well as current Whitefish Winter Carnival Queen.
Tickets are $28 with reserved seating. A ticket stub allows each patron one vote for their favorite dancer. To raise funds for outreach concerts for youth and seniors, additional votes can be purchased on the night of the show. Call 406-862-5371 or visit www.whitefishtheatreco.org.