Meet the Dancers!
By Jana E. Pye, Editor, editor@newsandpress.net
Published January 6, 2016
The next Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County fundraising event for Pee Dee Coalition Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault will be held on Thursday, January 28 at the Center Theater in Hartsville, and the 13 dance team pairs have been hard at work perfecting their routine. Each local celebrity is paired with a professional dancer, and the pair will compete for the winner of the event. The People’s Choice Award winner from votes purchased by fans before and during the event. The public is invited to vote for their favorite couple for the People’s Choice Award at the DWTS website www.darlingtoncountydancingwiththestars.com.
The event is a major fundraising effort to raise money for Pee Dee Coalition to assist victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
The fifth in the series introducing the pairs are the dance teams of: Sarah Floyd (Professional) & Barry Brown (Celebrity) and Alyssa Hicks (Pro) & Kenzo Tochiki (Celebrity).
Sarah Floyd (Professional) & Barry Brown (Celebrity) – Dance Style: Jive
Photo by Steve Roos
Sarah Floyd
Sarah is from Hartsville, the daughter of Tony and Terry Floyd. She attended Hartsville High School and is a graduate of the International Baccalaureate Programme. She is now a sophomore at Coker College where she majors in Music with an emphasis on Vocal Performance. Sarah studied dance for 10 years at the Brenda Cranford School of Dance, and teaches there in the evenings. She shares that her long-term educational dream is to seek advanced and terminal degrees in Vocal Pedagogy, or Opera Theatre.
Sarah’s decision to join the DWTS event partly due to her involvement with the Coker College athletic program; as a member of the Coker cheerleading team, Sarah’s team joined all the other Cobra athletic teams in support of the nationwide NCAA campaign to work to bring an end to domestic violence and sexual assault on college campuses. As a way of keeping her pledge, Sarah joined the professional dancers in Darlington County’s Dancing with the Stars to raise awareness of this nationwide problem in our community. Sarah hopes that through hard work and engagement with Coker College and the surrounding community that the Pee Dee Coalition will be able to raise the needed funds for their important programs and services.
Barry Brown
Barry was born and raised on the outskirts of McBee, and is the proud father of three beautiful young ladies, Katie, Cassie, and Emily. He has always loved sports, and played football at McBee High School. In addition to being the General Manager of his family’s business, Browns RV Superstore, Barry is an accomplished performer. His successful music career as a Nashville recording artist has received many accolades, including a nationally ranked single titled “300 Horses”. He has toured with many nationally beloved artists and has opened for Kenny Chesney, Sugarland, Hank Williams Jr. and many more. Barry is a member of St. Luke Methodist Church in Hartsville, and serves as a youth leader and a praise and worship bandleader. His hobbies include cross country dirt bike racing, surfing, water skiing, hunting, fishing, camping, traveling, and weight lifting.
Barry shared the following about being part of DWTS: “I enjoy giving back my time and resources to such projects as Salkehatchie Summer Work Project, American Red Cross, and now I am honored to be participating in the Dancing with the Stars fundraiser for the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault. Also, I would like to give a big thank you to my dance partner, Sarah Floyd, and to all the committee members for their hard work and efforts towards this worthwhile event!”
Alyssa Hicks (Pro) & Kenzo Tochiki (Celebrity) – Dance Style: Waltz with Swing
Photo by Steve Roos
Alyssa Hicks
Alyssa is a native of Hartsville. She trained in classical ballet for most of her childhood with the Columbia City Ballet Company before attending the South Carolina Governor’s School of Arts and Humanities under the direction of Stanislav Issaev. She then moved to NY to pursue studies at SUNY Purchase Dance Conservatory. Realizing her true passions were in her hometown, she moved back to Hartsville.
Currently Alyssa is a stylist and salon manager at Indigo Salon and Day Spa. She and her husband, Cory, lead the youth group at Gum Branch Church.
Alyssa shared that her former love of dance continues to inspire her creative works on a daily basis, and she is excited to be part of such a wonderful event. The audience is in for a treat when they watch Alyssa dance!
Kenzo Tochiki
Kenzo was born in Lima, Peru but moved to Charlotte he was 8 months old, and later attended Myers Park High School.
“Soccer was my big passion growing up, and I went to High Point University on a soccer and academic scholarship and graduated with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Biology.” shared Kenzo. “I worked various jobs and couldn’t really figure out what I wanted to do. I tore my Achilles’ tendon while playing soccer in an adult league and had a lot of time to sit and think about what I wanted to do. I volunteered at an animal hospital and quickly realized my calling. I finished up some prerequisites, sold or gave away about everything I owned, and move to St. Kitts in the Caribbean to attend Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. After 2 and 1/2 years, I moved to Columbus, OH and did my clinical year at The Ohio State University Vet Hospital. I practiced in Charlotte for a couple years before Ryan James invited me down to visit Hartsville and the Animal Hospital. I moved down here a year and a half ago and quickly fell in love with the town.”
Kenzo has two dogs named Irie and Marty. He enjoys hiking, woodworking, reading and going to the Carolina Panthers football games. And sorry, ladies, but he is not on the market! Kenzo’s future wife Caitlin joined him in Hartsville 6 months ago, and works at a clinical day program for Florence County School District.
This year’s event will be held Thursday, January 28, 2016 at the Center Theater in Hartsville. It will feature an “Old Hollywood” theme with dances, decorations and items reminiscent of the 1920’s, 30’s, and 40’s.
The Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault is a non-profit, volunteer based organization serving eight counties in the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina. Sadly, South Carolina ranks #1 in the United States for deadly violence against women. The Pee Dee Coalition hopes you will join them in this fundraising effort.
For more information, call 843-206-1838 or email DarlingtonCountyDWTS@gmail.com.
Visit their website: www.darlingtoncountydancingwiththestars.com to vote for your favorite couple for the People’s Choice Award.
