Tickets on sale for Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County
Winners of the 2015 Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County pictured above:
Dr. Beth Morphis and her dance team partner Mac Johnson. They won with their rousing performance of the “swing” dance style.
Photo by Jana E. Pye
The Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County Planning Committee, along with many volunteers, have spent months preparing for their big event to benefit the Pee Dee Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Assault to be held on Thursday, January 28 at the Hartsville Center Theater at 7:30 p.m.
The Planning Committee members are Pat Segars, Pat West, Mary Wood Beasley, Jennifer Boyles, Alma Harris, Helen Fuller, Jennifer Schock, Eric Thompsen, Ellen Bethea, Bonnie Gardner, Eliza Truett, Steve Benigni, Judy Jacobs, Steve Roos, Leigh Ann Bizzell, and Terrie Reames.
Under leadership of Rita Daniel, students from Hartsville High School and many other volunteers in the community will be assisting with ballot sales, handing out programs, decorating, and serving as ushers. Theater students attending Coker College will also be volunteering in the coat checkroom. There has been tremendous support for the event from many businesses and citizens in Darlington County.
Tickets for General Admission will be on sale at Burry Bookstore and Carolina Bank in Hartsville beginning Monday, January 18. Tickets are $45 each and will be on sale at those locations until 12 p.m. on Thursday, January 28. There will be no ticket sales at the door the night of the event. This year’s event will include an Old Hollywood theme that will involve dances from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s.
Thirteen dance teams will be competing for the titles of the 2016 People’s Choice Award and the 2016 Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County Dance Award. The dance teams and dance styles are:
Celebrity, Sandi Brown, and Professional, Gary De Santis, performing the Lindy Hop
Celebrity, Lauren Corry, and Professional, Eric Snyder, performing the Rumba
Celebrity, Rev. Fran Elrod, and Professional, Brian Youngblood, performing the Boogie Woogie
Celebrity, Lyles Huntley, and Professional, Lukas Glenn, performing the Waltz with Swing Celebrity, Melissa Johnson, and Professional, Dan Askins III, performing the Tango
Celebrity, Lynn Shillinglaw, and Professional, Caleb Roberts, performing the Charleston Celebrity, Barry Brown, and Professional, Sarah Floyd, performing the Jive
Celebrity, Jamie Harvey, and Professional, Ariadne Roberts, performing the Tango
Celebrity, Mark Lewallen, and Professional, Jaimie Cranford, performing the Jive
Celebrity, Jay Lucas, and Professional, Sheila Schmotzer, performing the Rumba
Celebrity, “Spider” George, and Professional, Jordan Pupa, performing the Lindy Hop
Celebrity, Kenzo Tochiki, and Professional, Alyssa Hicks, performing the Waltz with Swing
Celebrity, Leo Windham, and Professional, Michaela Mixon, performing the Boogie Woogie
Being a dancer for Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County requires many hours of dedicated practice. Brenda Cranford School of Dance, Move Dance Academy, Dizzy Dancin’, the Hartsville YMCA, and Prestwood Country Club all graciously provided their studios for the dance teams to practice. Local choreographers for this year’s dances included Brenda Cranford, Terrie Reames, Margie Watkins, Becky Centeno, and Vera Dubose.
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 Theater before the event and during intermission. Bizzell’s Food & Spirits will be catering the reception for a third year. Only those wearing sponsorship wristbands will be able to attend the reception.
The dance team that receives the most votes will be named the 2016 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.
A distinguished group of judges will rate each dance couple on their technical skills, technique, timing, and choreography. They judges will also rate the dance teams on their costume, presentation, synchronization, and overall performance. The Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County 2016 will be awarded to the team with the highest overall total score.
Andy Locklair will be the Master of Ceremonies again this year. Locklair is a multi-talented comedian, singer, songwriter, and TV personality from the area – the audience will certainly be entertained. Trey Goodman is providing his services as a videographer for the event; he has been recording the dancers as they practice the last several months for the audience to watch the night of the event.
The Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County Planning Committee have been diligently working to provide a fun and 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 information for Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County can be found on their Facebook page, Instagram, and their website: www.darlingtoncountydancingwiththestars.com.
