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 (www.DWTSofDC.com) to vote your favorite couple for the People’s Choice Award.
This week’s featured couples:
Heather Norment (Professional) and Michael Milbee (Celebrity). Dance style: Tango. Decade: 1980s. Choreographer: Meredith Sims.
Maddey Francoeur (Professional) and Danny Dorsel (Celebrity). Dance style: Tango. Decade: 2000s. Choreographer: Maddey Francoeur.
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; Hodge Ethridge Insurance and Financial Service – Nationwide Insurance; McLean Marechal Insurance and Financial Service – Nationwide Insurance; Duke Energy; Edwin Haenni; Curry and Debbie Dawkins; The Kiwanis Club of Hartsville; Darlington Family Pharmacy; Burry Bookstore; Wesley United Methodist Church; 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.; Integrated Systems; Southeast Pump Specialist Inc.
Dr. Dyce with Black Creek Medical is presenting this year’s show.
Celebrity dancer Michael Milbee is a local product and graduate of Hartsville High School. He earned a double major in Economics and Philosophy from Clemson University.
Heather and Michael. Photo by Steve Roos.
After working in the greater NYC area for three years, he joined the local Waddell & Reed financial advisory office in 2008 before taking over in 2016. In his first two years in charge, Michael earned his company’s President’s Council award as one of the top 12 producers nationwide in sales.
He and his wife, Sarah, are the parents of three children — Emma, Olivia and Charlie. As a husband, son and father of two young daughters, Michael is a strong advocate against domestic violence and is proud to dance on stage in front of hundreds of people if it helps a good cause.
Professional dancer Heather Norment is assistant to the president at Coker College. She also serves as an associate lecturer for the dance program, where she educates students to be versed in theory as well as technical ability. She earned her MFA at Sarah Lawrence College.
Heather served as director of dance for the School of Discovery, helped initiate dance programs for children in local Head Start programs and taught creative movement classes for K-5 students in New York public schools.
She previously served as artistic director of the Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County community fundraiser; Arts Education Coordinator for Black Creek Arts Council; program coordinator to enhance arts education for the Pee Dee Region.
She has been a guest artist for Broward College, Coker College and Northwest School of the Arts. Her work was adjudicated at the American College Dance Festival in 2007 and she received a full-tuition scholarship to the Dance Professionals Workshop at the American Dance Festival in 2015.
Heather serves on the Staff Parish Relations Committee for St. Luke United Methodist Church and she is also president of the Parent Community Association for the Montessori Day Academy of Hartsville.
Celebrity dancer Danny Dorsel is honored to help support the efforts of the Pee Dee Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Assault. He believes God created us in His likeness and everyone should feel secure in living out that likeness without fear of harm.
Danny and Maddey. Photo by Steve Roos.
Danny has been a resident of Hartsville since 2012. He is serving as senior vice-president for the residential program at the Governor’s School for Science and Math. This is actually his second time around at the Governor’s School. Danny’s first time was when he was a member of the GSSM charter class. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Whitney, and four children. Danny is also a member of F3 Hartsville and appreciates the fellowship it has brought into his life.
Professional dancer Maddey Francoeur is from Rhode Island and began dancing at the South County Movement Center at the age of 2. During her time at SCMC, Maddey was inspired by her instructors to combine her love for dance with her passion for helping others. This led her to pursue a BFA in Movement Therapies at Coker College. Her goals include helping individuals with autism. Maddey has danced with Freedom Dances Company directed by Nicole C. Laliberte as well as in many student, faculty and guest artist works in her time at Coker College.
Outside the dance community, Maddey is a weekly volunteer musician at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, playing the piano and singing for Sunday services. Meeting her dance partner, Danny Dorsel, through the church community is how she came to be a participant in this year’s DWTS of Darlington County. Maddey is excited to contribute her efforts to the Pee Dee Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Assault. This cause is near to her heart because it was her grandmother’s life’s work to help women and their families who were victims of violence in the home. She dances in her memory.