Meet the stars of Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County
Welcome to the runup to the 2019 edition of Darlington County’s Dancing with the Stars, an annual event that benefits the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault. The event will be held Thursday, Jan. 31, at 7:30 p.m. at Center Theater in Hartsville.
For the past several weeks, we’ve been introducing couples who will be taking part in the event. You can go to the Pee Dee Coalition’s website (DWTSofDC.com) to vote your favorite couple for the People’s Choice Award.
This week’s featured couple:
Cal Wheeler (Professional) and Brandi Wheeler (Celebrity). Dance style: Jive; Decade: 1950s. Choreographer: Tracee Auman
Photo by Steve Roos.
Sponsors: Dr. Orville H. Dyce with Black Creek Medical; Carolina Bank; West Oil Company; Steve Roos with Ashcraft Studio; Fitness Worldwide Gyms LLC; Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate – Segars Realty; Hartsville Family Dentistry; Sonoco Products Company; Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated.
Also, Hodge Ethridge Insurance and Financial Service – Nationwide Insurance; McLean Marechal Insurance and Financial Service – Nationwide Insurance; Duke Energy; Edwin Haenni; Curry and Debbie Dawkins; Kiwanis Club of Hartsville; Darlington Family Pharmacy; Burry Bookstore; Wesley United Methodist Church.
Also, Coker College; First Citizens Bank; Wanda and Terry Hassler; Coble Wealth Management, LLC; Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center; Elsesser Custom Cabinetry; Hartsville Country Club; Fred and Vanessa Wilhelm; Palmetto Auto Auction; Danny and Whitney Dorsel; Prestwood Complete Dental Care; Sweeney Wingate & Barrow, PA; North Industrial Machine LLC; Novolex; Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stanzione; Michael Milbee with Waddell & Reed; Tobaccoville USA Inc.; Gardner Roofing Inc.; Herald Office Supply; Anderson Brass Co.
Dr. Dyce with Black Creek Medical is presenting this year’s show.
Celebrity dancer Brandi Wheeler is a local business owner and Hartsville native. She has owned Brandi’s on College since 2001 after taking over operations from her grandmother, who started the business in 1955.
Brandi and Cal Wheeler. Photo by Steve Roos.
She is married to Cal Wheeler and they have a 4-year-old boy, Hatch. Brandi enjoys fashion, boating, fishing, dancing and playing with Hatch. Brandi danced throughout her childhood, and during college, Brandi danced with the Robert Ivy Company in Charleston.
Professional dancer Cal Wheeler grew up in Hartsville and graduated from Hartsville High School. After attending Presbyterian College, Cal practiced real estate in Hartsville for 16 years. He owns Vintage Craft Beer and Wine Bar. Cal enjoys spending time with his wife, Brandi, cheering on the Clemson Tigers and being a perfect role model to his son, Hatch.
Cal plans to amaze the audience with dance tricks he learned during his extensive formal dance training to prepare for the 2017 Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County. He aspires to one day be like Patrick Swayze.
The Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County Planning Committee, along with many volunteers, have been meeting since June preparing for their big event to benefit the Pee Dee Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Assault. The Planning Committee members are Pat Segars, Pat West, Mary Wood Beasley, Jennifer Boyles, Alma Harris, Eric Thompsen, Ellen Bethea, Eliza Truett, Judy Jacobs, Tamara Weatherford, Lukas Glenn, Greg Goode, Ben Gore, Rita Daniel, Mary Kate Truitt, Ed Haenni and Ginger Avant.
Under leadership of Rita Daniel, students from local high schools and many other adult volunteers in the community will be assisting with ballot sales, handing out programs, decorating, serving as ushers and will also be volunteering in the Coat Check Room. Tickets can be purchased online at www.DWTSofDC.com. Tickets are $45 each. The doors will be open for general admission beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Thirteen dance teams will be competing for the titles of the 2019 People’s Choice Award and the 2019 Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County Dance Award. The dance teams and dance styles are:
Celebrity, Brandolyn Pinkston, and Professional, Lay’Quan Williamson, performing the Swing to songs from the 1950s; Celebrity, Fran Hunsucker, and Professional, Jerome Richardson, performing the Jive to songs from the 1960s; Celebrity, Billy White, and Professional, Shantella Harris, performing Disco to songs from the 1970s; Celebrity, Lauren Wint, and Professional, Greg McDonald, performing Hip Hop to songs from the 1980s; Celebrity, Matt Nelson, and Professional, Tracee Auman, performing Hip Hop to songs from the 1990s.
Also. Celebrity, Taylor June Cox, and Professional, Blade Boulware, performing the Swing to songs from the 2000s; Celebrity, Brandy Stellingworth, and Professional, Te’Quan Coe, performing the Quickstep to songs from the 2010s; Celebrity, Dennis Smith, and Professional, Jadah Rush, performing the Cha Cha to songs from the 2010s; Celebrity, Danny Dorsel, and Professional, Maddey Francoer, performing the Tango to songs from the 2000s; Celebrity, Eric Tucker, and Professional, Vera DuBose, performing the Waltz to songs from the 1990s; Celebrity, Michael Milbee, and Professional, Heather Norment, performing the Tango to songs from the 1980s; Celebrity, Ethan Rivera, and Professional, Savage Watson, performing the Quickstep to songs from the 1960s; and Celebrity, Brandi Wheeler, and Professional, Cal Wheeler, performing the Jive to songs from the 1950s.
Being a dancer for Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County requires many hours of dedicated practice.
Brenda Cranford School of Dance, KFA, Coker College, Savage Dance Productions, MOVE Dance Academy, YMCA of the Upper Pee Dee and Driven by Dance Studio all provided their studios for the dance teams to practice. Local choreographers for this year’s dances include Tracee Auman, Brenda Cranford, Burnadene Kelley-Newman, Tiffany Welsh, Kaycee Weaver, Vera DuBose, Terrie Reames, Maddey Francoeur, Savage Watson, Meredith Sims and Shantella Harris.
The Planning Committee has been making contacts for sponsors and advertising opportunities. Being a sponsor includes tickets for a Sponsorship Reception to be held in the Assembly Room at the Center Theatre before the event and during intermission where food and beverages will be served. Only those wearing sponsorship wristbands will be able to attend the reception. The reception will be open for those with VIP tickets beginning at 6 p.m.
The dance team that receives the most votes will be named the People’s Choice Award winner. Ballots to enter a vote will be sold for $10 by dancers, Pee Dee Coalition members, the DWTS website, and ballot assistants the evening of the performances.
Judges will rate each dance couple on their technical level, creativity of integrating their assigned decade and dance style and overall entertainment. The Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County 2019 will go to the team with the highest overall total score.
Andy Locklair will be Master of Ceremonies again this year. He is a multi-talented comedian, singer, songwriter and TV personality from the area. Trey Goodman has provided his services as a videographer for a fourth year. He has been recording the dancers as they practiced the past several months for the audience to watch the night of the event. Steve Roos of Ashcraft Studios has again been the Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County photographer.
The Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County Planning Committee has been working to provide an entertaining evening while increasing awareness about domestic and sexual assault. Their hope is that their work will translate into more money to be available to help provide the services needed by victims in Darlington County who receive services from the Pee Dee Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Assault.
More on Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County can be found on their Facebook page, Instagram, and their web site: DWTSofDC.com.