Gordon, Hannah next couple to perform at Calhoun’s Dancing With The Stars Gets Schooled
* Editor’s Note: The Calhoun’s Dancing with the Stars stories are contributed to the Calhoun Times each week by the Dancing with the Stars program. The DWTS Program receives the information for these stories from the student dancers.
Mohawk Presents Calhoun’s Dancing with the Stars GETS SCHOOLED is gearing up for its debut as GEM Theatre and United Way of Gordon County administrators— leaders of the target beneficiaries- prepare to present a dramatic reinvention of Calhoun’s single most popular and successful fundraiser. This year, Dancing with the Stars will get schooled— hence the new name-- as high school students will be the ones dancing for dollars in this wildly popular event.
Ticket sales began Sunday, March 19 at 2: 00 at the GEM box office and fans were already lining up that morning at 9am to grab their tickets. On- line sales began at 12: 01 a. m. Monday, March 20. A very limited number of tickets remain available for the finale and a sellout is expected. Sponsors are still coming forward to support the nine teams and all eighteen dancers are busy naming their tunes and planning their moves as they get ready to put on the show of the year.
The eighteen most important people are the dancers themselves and this year, those nine teams will come together to heat up the stage and tear down the ceiling when Mohawk Presents Calhoun’s Dancing with the Stars GETS SCHOOLED opens at 7: 30 p. m. on Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, 2017.
“I have really enjoyed getting to know these students through this event. They have a lot of energy and enthusiasm,” said Ashley Goble, member of the planning committee and Director of Communications & Community Involvement for United Way of Gordon County. “I have such a fun time when I am with the students, so I hope they look at DWTS GETS SCHOOLED as a fun event and not just something else they have to do during their week. I appreciate each of them taking the time out of their schedules to support United Way of Gordon County and the GEM Theatre!”
“The GEM Theatre is truly excited for this year’s show. The students are all working hard and the group number is looking great. This year’s show is what the mission of the GEM is all about, encouraging involvement in the arts and creating a love for performance,” said Kim Brazell, GEM Theatre Manager. “These students are making history as the first student dancers in our six years. The audience will not only be entertained, but they will be thrilled to see the amazing talent that Calhoun/Gordon County has to offer.”
Kirsten Gordon and Logan Hannah will be the seventh team to hit the dance floor. High school sweethearts, both are eleventh grade students at Sonoraville High School. Kirsten and Logan both attend Bethesda Baptist Church, where they participate in the Disciple Now program.
Kirsten is the daughter of Christie and Clint Rogers. Her siblings are Tristen Gordon, Reese Rogers, and Seth Rogers. Logan is the son of Dusty Hannah and April Hammonds. His stepfather is Donald Hammonds.
A little more reserved than some of the other dancers, Kirsten hits the stage like a strike of lightning— fast, dazzling, and surprising. With thirteen years of dance experience under her belt, she can light up the stage at a moment’s notice. She has taught dance for the last year and competed for six years. She is a Sonoraville High School cheerleader and is a member of the school’s Danceline team.
Kirsten is an excellent student and is involved with a number of academic and extra- curricular groups. She is a member of the Beta Club, the Key Club, Future Business Leaders of America, National Society of High School Scholars and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She was involved with Big Phoenix- Little Phoenix, Relay for Life, SPLASH Gordon and Earth Day.
Logan Hannah has several things in common with Kirsten, but none of those things include dance training. He lists “dancing in the shower” as his only dance and performance experience. He and his partner have been working together on stunts and dance moves as they rehearse for the event.
Logan is a talented and involved student. He participated in SPLASH Gordon and Shop with a Phoenix. He enjoys sports and plays on the Sonoraville High School football team. He appears to be a calm young man with excellent manners, but admits that he hates when his team loses.
The other sixteen dancers, listed alphabetically, include Matt Adcock, Garrison Baumgardner, Allie Childers, Elizabeth Dutch, Sarah Green, Kelsey Hall, Natalie Mathis, Zeke Nance, Ryan Morrell, Julia Palazzolo, Madison Reyes, Chandler Smith, Kathrynn Stockman, Joseph Taylor, Jose’ Trenti, and Kade Wright. Each team will be featured in a newspaper article beginning in March and leading up to show- time.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be moving toward our sixth anniversary and are hoping to beat last year’s record, as we have done every year,” said Vickie Spence, Executive Director of United Way of Gordon County. “This show has become an absolute financial powerhouse for both United Way and our local GEM Theatre, but it’s also developed into one of those rare community events that gives rise to the best of our virtues: true partnership, civic commitment, hometown loyalty, servant service and unbridled devotion. We’ve got just the right amount of egos and divas to keep things spicy, but ultimately all that spirit gets channeled into the energy of the dances. It’s a really good show, but it’s so much more than a show.”
The mission of United Way of Gordon County is to accurately assess the needs of Gordon County and to mobilize available resources to meet these needs. The mission of the GEM Theatre is to enrich the community by providing a premier facility to be used for viewing, learning and participating in the performing and visual arts, enlist community support to maintain Calhoun’s landmark theatre building, and ensure preservation of the theatre for future generations.
Profits realized from Mohawk Present’s Calhoun’s Dancing with the Stars remain in Gordon County. Each student dancer will receive a $ 500 scholarship, and remaining profits are divided equally between GEM Theatre and United Way of Gordon County.