Dancing stars light up the stage
Six Whitefish community stars dazzled on the O’Shaughnessy Center stage Friday as they competed in the second Dancing With Our Community Stars event.
Back after a sold-out performance last year, the evening is a fun event that has local dancers and judges put their own twist on the popular TV show “Dancing With The Stars.”
Becky Rygg had been waiting a year to show off her moves for the event.
“I’m obsessed with Dancing with the Stars the TV show,” she said. “I love it all — the dancing, the costumes.”
Rygg, who owns Harlow clothing store, couldn’t participate in last year’s event so she’s been on the waiting list since. She said she’s always dreamed of being a famous actress and has some experience with dancing, but has never participated in ballroom dance before.
O’Brien Byrd, owner of O’Brien’s Liquor & Wine and coach of Columbia Falls boys varsity soccer team, ultimately earned the most votes to take home this year’s mirror ball trophy.
Josh Branstetter, principal at Whitefish Middle School, said he has no prior dance experience, but he felt compelled to make an attempt to keep the school district’s winning streak alive after Whitefish High School principal Kerry Drown won last year.
“The last time I performed it was my senior year, and I played a card in Alice in Wonderland,” he said. “It looked like everyone had fun last year and this way I’m learning to do the foxtrot the day before I go to a wedding.”
After the first hour-long practice, Mary Collins Kelly said her head was still spinning from learning all the steps. But the owner of the Izaak Walton Inn said she felt more confident about her performance at the end of the week.
“I did tap dance as a kid, but I’ve never done anything like this,” she said. “I was extremely nervous, but now I’m much more relaxed.”
Ginnie Cronk earned her dancing spot by being the only bidder at a silent auction. She said she was excited for the experience having done ballet and modern dance many years ago.
“If I’d known I was the only bidder I would have went higher so they could have gotten more,” she said with a laugh.
The community members spent the week rehearsing with the professional Utah Dance Company to put on the show. The dance company provided them with costumes, added video highlights, coached a panel of local judges and put on a live performance.
Jesse Maher, production manager for the company, said the production is streamlined into a week what might otherwise take months to pull together.
“That makes it easier for people to commit,” he said. “We prefer they don’t have any experience dancing — that way we don’t have to break any bad habits and it keeps the competition more fair.”
Maher said the amateur dancers spend only about 45 minutes practicing for four days before the big event.
“We want them to feel comfortable and have fun,” he said. “We want them to be smiling the whole time.”