Monthly Archives: April 2013

Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Seelbach
and Dance Pro Doreen Beatrice
Crowned New Dancing for the Stars Champs

CINCINNATI, OH – Chris Seelbach (Cincinnati City Councilman) and his dance pro Doreen Beatrice (Step-N-Out Studio) received a near-perfect score of 39 (out of 40) from the four judges on Saturday, April 13, at the Music Hall Ballroom, taking first place at the Cincinnati Arts Association’s seventh-annual Dancing for the Stars. With an audience of more than 750 guests (a new attendance record), the sold-out event raised over $80,000 to benefit CAA’s Overture Awards – the nation’s largest locally-run high school arts scholarship competition.

Dr. Dora Savani, M.D. (Infectious Disease Specialist, St. Elizabeth Physicians) and Aaron Ordaz (Independent Dance Instructor) took second place; and Sherry Gruden (Community Volunteer; wife of Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Coordinator, Jay Gruden) and her dance pro Jeremy Mainous (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati) placed third.

The remaining five dance pairs included:

• Bob Herzog (Anchor, Local 12 WKRC) and Leigh Bradshaw (Cincinnati Ballroom Company)
• Robert Killins Jr. (Program Director, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation) and Bonita Brockert (Independent Dance Instructor)
• Hengameh Nassef (Administrator, Cincinnati Neurological and Spine) and J. Patrick Clements (Step-N-Out Studio)
• Amy Scalia (Publisher, Cincy Chic) and Brian McNamee (Cincinnati Ballroom Company)
• Mike Selker (Chief Financial Officer, LaRosa’s) and Terri Ann Atkinson (Dare to Dance)

Inspired by the hit ABC-TV show Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for the Stars 2013 featured eight Cincinnati celebrities paired with some of the area’s finest professional dancers in a competition program, at which the audience vote propelled the winners to victory. The competitive dance for the evening was the Samba, and each dance pair had 90 seconds to woo the crowd and the judges.

Event emcees were Chris O’Brien & Janeen Coyle (“Married With Microphones,” 103.5 WGRR-FM). The four competition judges were Terry Foster (Dancing for the Stars 2010 alum; RN, St. Elizabeth Health Care; community volunteer), Mandy Franceschina (Managing Director, Step-N-Out Studio; creator, Broadway Blast), Desiree Mainous (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati), and Jenell Walton (reporter, The List; Dancing for the Stars 2008 winner).

The Dancing for the Stars 2013 Committee: Dr. Tracey Skale, M.D , Chair (winner, Dancing for the Stars 2011), Christina Bolden, Terry Foster, Sue Gilkey, Jim Howland, Ginger Loftin, Rosemary Schlachter, and Phil Schworer.

Dancing for the Stars 2013 Presenting Sponsor: Stock Yards Bank & Trust

Dancing for the Stars 2013 Sponsors: Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Carey Digital, Cincinnati Ballroom Company, Dare to Dance, Heidelberg Distributing/Ohio Valley Wines, Step-N-Out Studio, Bonita Brockert, and Aaron Ordaz.

Currently in its seventh year, Dancing for the Stars has become one of the most-anticipated fundraising events of the season. Since the event’s debut in 2007, seventy-two local celebs have ‘danced for a cause’, and the impressive list of past champions includes: 2007 – Dr. O’dell Owens (President, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College; former Hamilton County Coroner); 2008 – Jenell Walton (Reporter, The List; former WCPO-TV9 Anchor and Reporter); 2009 – Phil Schworer (President – Cincinnati Bar Association / Environmental Lawyer); 2010 – Donna Speigel (Owner, The Snooty Fox); 2011 – Dr. Tracey Skale, M.D. (Chief Medical Officer, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services), and 2012 – Regina Russo (Director of Marketing and Communications, Cincinnati Art Museum).

In addition, Dancing for the Stars 2013 featured:

• Dinner-by-the-bite provided by A Catered Affair, AmandaCakes, Brio Tuscan Grille, Chef’s Choice Catering, Eddie Merlot’s, Funky’s Catering, Jeff Thomas Catering, Kroger, Palomino, Skyline, Tano Bistro & Catering, T.G.I. Friday’s Catering, Tres Belles Cakes, Valet Coffee, Vonderhaar’s Catering, Inc., and Whole Foods.
• Silent auction
• The swinging sounds of Sound Body Jazz Orchestra
• Popular DJ and 103.5 WGRR personality Rockin’ Ron Schumacher
• Pre-event wine tasting and meet-and-greet with the stars
•  Open dancing before and after the competition 

Event highlights included:

• A “Dirty Dancing” Samba to the song “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by the first-place dance team of Chris Seelbach and Doreen Beatrice, who channeled their inner Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, complete with risky lifts and a flash-mob of six of Chris’ supporters who joined the dance during its final moments.
• A traditional Samba by Brazilian-born Dr. Dora Savani, who wore an authentic, ruffled bronze dress that she purchased in Brazil, and who had family and friends travel all the way from Brazil to cheer her on.
• A rip-roarin’ Western Samba to the popular country song “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” by Sherry Gruden and her dance pro Jeremy Mainous (the same song to which Drew Lachey and Cheryl Burke danced to win Season 2 of ABC-TV’s Dancing with the Stars).
• LOCAL 12 WKRC’s “Dance Friday” Bob Herzog, who began his athletic Samba with a “toe touch” leap from the stage (and multiple leaps afterward), and wore a much-talked-about, chest-hair revealing black shirt that was a hit with the judges and the audience.
• Hengameh Nassef took control of the dance floor in a bright lemon-yellow, fringe-covered dress to the delight of her many international fans.
• A sexy and chic Samba by Amy Scalia in a black-feathered mini-skirt, highlighted by an extended solo during which she was the only dancer on the floor for the beginning of the routine.
• The out-of-character, but Samba-appropriate, pelvic thrusts by Robert Killins delighted the audience.
• The seductive moves of Mike Selker to Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel,” which attracted a lovely trio of young women to Mike on the dance floor… during the dance!
• A mesmerizing Classical Indian dance showcase performance by 2013 Overture Award winner, Angela Vettikkal, wowed the audience.
• The sold-out event had an exceptionally responsive, raucous, and energetic audience, which included large cheering sections holding signs with various messages and making a loud racket with a variety of noise-makers (including air horns, screaming, stamping feet, etc.).
• After the competition, the dance floor at the Music Hall Ballroom filled with the evening’s guests who danced the night away to music by DJ Rockin’ Ron from 103.5 WGRR.
• Dancing for the Stars 2013 roving-reporter and man-about-town, Joe Rigotti, with his sly and humorous commentary about the competition’s fashion, celebs, and dance moves.
• Emcees Chris & Janeen kept the crowd entertained between the stars’ dance routines.

THE OVERTURE AWARDS
The Overture Awards Scholarship Competition is the largest locally-run arts scholarship competition in the country. The program annually provides a $3,000 scholarship to six area high school students for education and training, with 18 finalists each winning a $500 scholarship. Each year, more than 450 students are nominated by their schools to compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art or Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

The Overture Awards was developed to recognize, encourage, and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. It also provides students an opportunity to share their talents and interests among their peers in a supportive environment outside of their individual schools. Now in its 17th year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation and Leadership Cincinnati (a Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce program).

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves more than 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than 1.3 million students.