Crash-course in dancing has Tahoe-ites ready for the stage
By Kathryn Reed
Smiles are scarce. Concentration levels are at their peak. Counting to four keeps being repeated. Bodies are being twisted in ways they aren’t used to moving.
Today will be the last of four practice sessions for the six South Shore residents who will take the stage March 1 with professional dancers as their partners. Dancing with Your Stars is a take-off of the wildly successful “Dancing with the Stars” television show.
Six Tahoe-ites will perform with professionals March 1 in Dancing with Your Stars. Photos/Kathryn Reed
Wendy David has a perplexed look as she asks Andrew Blackburn, “What are we doing now?”
The Lake Tahoe Unified School District board member is paired with a tall partner. She stretches to put her arm around Blackburn’s neck. As Tuesday’s rehearsal progresses, she is bending and turning with more ease.
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority Executive Director Carol Chaplin quips, “The fact someone can flip me … I’m thrilled.”
Chaplin and Joey Williams are taking up a good portion of the width of the multipurpose room at Sierra House Elementary School as they work on a two-step.
The guy from Tahoe, Curtis Fong, is more stationary in his area of the room. At one point it looks like he is proposing to Sarah Najdek, but then she tells him he’s supposed to be facing the “audience” and not her.
Joel Dameral, South Tahoe High teacher, doesn’t seem to be having fun until near the end of the second day. By then he is spinning Jen Hayes like they have been dancing together for weeks and not just hours.
Bert’s Café owner Bueno Ketelsen is like a matador as he spins a black and red cape to the beat of the music. A smile crosses his face when partner Casey Bartlemay tells him he got it.
The sixth local competitor is Deb Howard, but she missed Tuesday’s session.
“We prefer when they don’t have a ton of training. Then it’s like a fresh canvas for us,” Jesse Maher, assistant director for the Utah Ballroom Dance Company, tells Lake Tahoe News.
Just like the TV show, video and interviews are being shot during the rehearsals that will be played during the performance. And just like the TV show, the contestants will be all decked out in fancy clothes and makeup.
Each duo will perform one dance routine. Each is a different type of dance like the Waltz or jitterbug. During the intermission the audience will pick their favorite. That score will be combined with the judges’ (Marcia Sarosik, Pat Ronan and Paul Middlebrook) score to crown the winner.
The second half of the show is all about the professionals, of which there are about 20 who will be on the stage.
The money raised goes to Tahoe Arts Project, the local organization that brings performing arts to South Shore schools. (One program was cut this year because donations to TAP have dwindled.) The six dancers who have been practicing with locals all week have also been working with students all week.
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Note:
• Dancing with Your Stars – March 1, 7pm
• MontBleu casino in Stateline
• Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children.
It’s going to be a great show! Hope to see you there.Tickets available at the door beginning at 6:00. Doors open at 6:30.
Even if you can’t make the show you can donate to TAP. This great program brings performance art to our kids and community all year long. Can I cast my vote for Wendy now as I’m in a cast myself and the foot needs to rest! Have fun tonight!
One question, why is this event not called “Dancing with the Stateline Stars”? Since it is held in Stateline. Just curious, do they not have enough people to pull from in Stateline?
Check out flyer
http://www.montbleuresort.com/general_details.php?id=473
I find a certain irony that fundraising for our SLT community has to take place in Nevada with the money spent to raise funds for SLT being paid to a Nevada business. It would certainly be nice if there was a venue in the City of SLT where these types of fund raising events for our own community could be conducted and where the money that’s paid for the use of the venue would be paid to a SLT located business.
usmc: The casinos don’t charge hardly anything to put on these charity events, so they make no profit, just enough to cover expenses (wages and food). I have put on many events and the casinos have been amazing in their support. I don’t see a private enterprise away from the casinos ever being able to put on an event for no profit (and usually a loss).
Plus, many of our local non-profits cover both sides of the lake, so they aren’t just California or Nevada…they serve who needs it. TAP supports schools on both sides, TYFS supports families on both sides, Boys and Girls Club will take kids from both sides, Rotary, Soroptomists and Kiwanis serve people on both sides…you get the picture :).
We are very lucky to have them to host our events. Check out most other towns and see what the event’s overhead is.
I didn’t realize that the political subdivision defined the community.
Not to say it’s a bad thing, but we are two separate towns, and now that I think about it, I can’t remember if I’ve ever heard of a Stateline event for their community.