Everyone's a Star
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on January 6, 2017 8:15 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Steve Mitchell dances to "Where the Wild Things Are" with dancers, including his daughters Erin and Emily, from Studio 33 Dance Company. Mitchell was awarded for having the most entertaining performance of the night.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Kelli Corbett, left of center, thanks all of her friends and family that donated money to make her the top fundraiser for this year's Dancing Stars of Wayne County.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Coey Coley and Helen Baddour perform a Super Mario theme routine with students of Artistic Dance Academy Thursday night at the Paramount Theatre during the 6th Annual Dancing Stars of Wayne fundraiser to benefit the Wayne Education Network.
Seventeen local "stars" danced the night away Thursday, as the sixth annual Dancing Stars of Wayne County took place at the Paramount Theater.
The fundraiser for education, which pairs residents with students from local dance studios, had originally been planned for Nov. 4, but was postponed following the hurricane.
Sponsored by the Wayne Education Network, created in 2009 under the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, proceeds have supported such efforts as teacher scholarships and mini grants, middle school career fair, Junior Leadership and teacher recruitment and retention efforts.
Five local dance studios lent their choreography talents, as well as students, to the partnership -- Academy of Performing Arts, A Step of Class, Artistic Dance Academy, Goldsboro School of Ballet and Studio 33 Dance Company.
While technique and reception of the audience and judges played a role, in the end the big prize was all about the funds raised. Each participant has spent the past few months generating monetary support through online voting. That continued as the evening played out on stage.
At the outset, the top three contenders for the most funds raised were Edna Gambella in third place, with $1,765; Steve Mitchell in second place with $2,905; and Aaronia Grady leading the pack, with $2,980.
Mrs. Gambella, a Spanish teacher at St. Mary School, performed a cha cha, flanked by dancers from Goldsboro School of Ballet.
Mitchell, a CPA and partner at Markham, Mitchell and Stroud, was a crowd favorite from the start, his Arabian nights-themed apparel in stark contrast to his usual work wardrobe.
A big reason he chose to step out of his comfort zone, he said, two actually, were his daughters, Erin and Emily, who were among his backup dancers from Studio 33.
Ms. Grady, assistant project manager with Daniels and Daniels Construction Company, drew rave reviews for her dance, partnered with Auleana Barnes, owner of Radiant Serenity Esthetics and Spa, for their rendition of "Fever" with Artistic Dance Academy.
The evening was packed with variety -- from a live action version of "Super Mario" featuring attorney Helen Baddour and Corey Coley, of N.C. Wesleyan College, and a poignant story of motherhood and loss by Jesse Carter, a homeschool mom, to the rap-infused rendition of "Whip N Naenae" partnering Michael Hayes of Wayne County Public Schools and Jeremy May of BB&T.
Aaron Jordan, a trucking company owner who won the fundraising portion of last year's event and returned this year as a commentator, praised the latter.
"Have you ever done the stanky leg before?" he asked Hayes, finance officer for the school system.
Hayes admitted he had not.
By intermission, the three top contenders were the same but in shuffled order.
Mrs. Gambella remained in third place, with $4,210; Ms. Grady was in second, with $4,280 and Mitchell took the lead, with $4,525.
Online voting had closed earlier so it all came down to the audience to push their favorite to the top, at $10 a vote.
As the four-hour event came to a conclusion, five awards were handed out before the final announcement of top fundraisers.
Mitchell was named most entertaining.
Terry Gainer, a budget analyst with the 916th Air Refueling Wing and senior pastor at Sheridan Forest Worship Center, received the award for outstanding male. He had performed an energetic tap dance with A Step of Class to "Dig Dig Dig," crediting his daughters, both dance instructors, with getting him involved in the event.
"I knew it was serious when I got to the studio and my daughter made me spit out my gum," he said.
Outstanding female award went to Ms. Baddour, a veteran to Wayne County stages since age 3, when she was one of the Tinker Bells in a rendition of "Peter Pan."
"I grew up dancing with Patricia O'Quinn (Warren, owner of Artistic Dance)," she said. Mrs. Warren's daughter, Tara Warren, also worked on the choreography. "It was special. I'm back in town working with my dad (attorney Phil Baddour) and she's back in town working with her mom."
Mrs. Gambella took the award for best choreography, with the judges award to be shared by Hayes and May.
Two of the three top fundraisers remained in the lead, with a dark horse emerging the ultimate victor.
Mitchell's total came to $4,875, putting him in third place; Mrs. Gambella was in second with $5,500; and Kelli Corbett topped the list in first place, generating $5,540 for the cause.
A lead nurse practitioner for WATCH, or Wayne Action Teams for Community Health, she and friend, Michelle Garon, a health science teacher at Eastern Wayne High School, had performed a 50s-themed "New Girl in Town" with A Step of Class.
As her name was announced, Mrs. Corbett called up her dance partner, who gushed over the win.
"I drug her into this," Mrs. Garon said.
"Wow, I'm completely amazed, really amazed, but thank you," Mrs. Corbett said the audience. "It was wonderful, really. It was a lot of fun. We had a good time."