Meet the Dancers!
The 4th Annual Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County fundraising event is less than two weeks away and the dancers are working hard to perfect their routines and their costumes, hoping to take home not only the overall win but also the People Choice Award. The annual event will held on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at the Center Theater in Hartsville.
Each dance team features a dance professional paired with a local celebrity vying for the title. The People’s Choice Award is won by capturing the largest number of fan votes. The votes can be purchased online at www.darlingtoncountydancingwiththestars.com before and during the event. Tickets can also be purchased online.
Proceeds from the evening go to the Pee Dee Coalition to assist victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
Sponsors for the event are: Sonoco Product Company, Novolex, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stanzione, Palmetto Prosthetics and Orthotics, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sullivan, Heritage Community Bank, Gardner Roofing, Inc., Palmetto Auto Auction, First Citizens Bank & Trust, Integrated Systems, Stifel Nicolaus, Duke Energy, Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, Carolina Irrigation.
This week’s dance teams are:
• Tara McCormick (Professional) & Jeff Burr (Celebrity) – Dance Style: Swing (Choreographer: Vera Dubose)
• Stacy Uptagrafft (Professional) & Hunter Jordan (Celebrity) – Dance Style: Quickstep (Choreographer: Stacy Uptagrafft)
Contributed Photo
Jeff Burr is a Hartsville native, Hartsville High School graduate, and holds an Associate Degree in Fire Science. He has served the community for 31 years through his work with the fire department. Jeff has been the Fire Chief since 2010. He and other first responders helped establish the Southeastern Extrication School. Jeff was instrumental in implementing the F3 program: Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith. He is married to Jacey Stone and they have one son, Ryan.
Tara McCormick originally from Atlanta, GA, has spent most of her life in the theater. In high school, she discovered that in musical theatre, she could combine her passion of dance with acting and voice. Thus, Tara made a choice to shift her dream of being a dancer, to that of being a triple threat. She graduated from Coker College with a bachelor of arts degree in Music with a concentration in Musical Theatre and a minor in Dance. Most recently, she was hired to be a lead singer/dancer by the casting company Stiletto Entertainment, which operates out of L.A. and hires for Holland America cruise line. Her time with Stiletto Entertainment consisted of nine shows of various styles, ranging from Classical to Country Western. Her ship, the Volendam, traveled to Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, the South Pacific Isles, Australia, and finally Asia. Currently, Tara lives in Hartsville and awaits her next adventure.
Contributed Photo
Hunter Jordan was born and raised in Florence. He is a graduate of Clemson University and currently the Pastor at St. Matthew’s Church in Darlington, SC. Hunter is married to Walker, and they have three children.
Stacy Uptagrafft is a teacher for Florence School District 3. She danced since she was two, but her favorite style in Latin/Ballroom. Stacy has competed in places such as Miami and New York. She is married to her husband, Jeff, and they have a 10-month-old daughter, Anna. Her family and the kids at her school are her world.
Vera Katharina DuBose is a local costume designer and artist. She has worked on multiple stage productions for Coker College and the University of South Carolina. Internships have allowed her to work with the New York City Ballet Costume Shop and the National Opera House of Hamburg, Germany. Vera has danced all her life. She pursued a professional career as a dancer but eventually had to change plans due to hip issues. Since then, she has discovered her love for Latin and ballroom dancing, and has competed for several years in Germany with her dance partner, Chris Scharte, and in several Latin dance teams. She is excited and honored to be a part of Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County for the second year in a row.
