Sea Grandon and Travis McConnell practice the “dip” in their routine as one of their routines choreographers, Shannon Smith, watches. The routine was choreographed by WCHS Dance Department students Smith and Izzy Rozelle. Photo provided by Kris Lake.

By Marissa Sweatland
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center will be hosting its annual Dancing With The Stars For Charity event at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for students and every single penny benefits the nine local, participating not-for-profit organizations as well as the WCHS Dance Department and the PAC.

The participating not-for-profits are: Joe’s Kids, Magical Meadows, Combined Community Services, Kosciusko County Trap Neuter Release, Cardinal Services, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts, CASA of Kosciusko County and Kate’s Kart.

The teams are comprised of one community celebrity and one WCS employee. The nine teams were randomly paired and assigned choreographers. The dance routines were all choreographed by students from the WCHS Dance Department.

Trace Hansen and Karri Morgan are dancing for Joe’s Kids. Victoria Peloza was the choreographer for the routine.

Kayla May and Shawn Brown rehearse their routine. Their routine was choreographed by WCHS Dance Department students, Malori McDaniels, Bella Boley and Olivia Mabee. Photo provided by Kris Lake.

Shawn Brown and Kayla May are dancing for Magical Meadows. Malori McDaniels, Bella Boley and Olivia Mabee were the choreographers for the routine.

Randy Polston and Lakesha Green are dancing for Combined Community Services. Emma Bradford and Mackenzie Langhorn were the choreographers for the routine.

“This has been such a fun event.  The students have been great coaches and very patient with us,” Polston, executive director of CCS, mentioned. “This entire event will support so many nonprofits in our community.  This type of support is what it is all about.  Where else can you go to an evening of fun and help all of these nonprofits.”

Paul Zakaria and Suzanne Stokes are dancing for Kosciusko Community Trap Neuter Return. Michael Hertel was the choreographer for the routine.

Chris Plack and Angela Dieleman are dancing for Cardinal Services. Dakota Gardner and Lily Kincaid were the choreographers for the routine.

Chris Cage and Megan Dinse are dancing for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Kaelyn Stoffel and Elle Gonzalez were the choreographers for the routine.

Travis McConnell and Sea Grandon are dancing for Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts. Shannon Smith and Izzy Rozelle were the choreographers for the routine.

“It is a privilege to be dancing for the Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts. We are working hard to execute two dances that in some small way honor the professionalism and storytelling that is at the core of everything the Wagon Wheel does,” Grandon said. “While our high kicks won’t be as high as the Wagon Wheel’s professional cast, we hope our performance will be entertaining and theatrical.”

Emily Gough and Jim Smith practice their dance routine. The routine was choreographed by WCHS Dance Department students, Kennedy Polk and Zariya Buchan. Photo provided by Kris Lake.

Jim Smith and Emily Gough are dancing for CASA of Kosciusko County. Kennedy Polk and Zariya Buchan were the choreographers of the routine.

“I love the supportive community we have and appreciate all of the stars who are dancing for amazing charities,” Erin Rowland Jones, executive director of CASA of Kosciusko County, said.
Tommy Meier and Laura Rothhaar are dancing for Kate’s Kart. Courtney Brower choreographed the routine.

Tickets are selling fast so cha-cha down to the PAC Box Office, 1 Tiger Lane, Warsaw, to secure yours today.

To contact the box office, call (574) 371-5040. The box office is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets are also available on the box office’s website, warsawperformingarts.vbotickets.com/events.