Dancing With the Stars: Mary Jane McKinnon and Caden Williams
After a successful inaugural year, “Dancing with the Stars — Calhoun” is back with a new cast of dancers — 20 local high school students — and they are excited to give the audience another fun-filled, high-energy show on Friday, April 21, and Saturday, April 22, at the Calhoun Performing Arts Center. Showtimes for both performances are at 7 p.m.
Ten dance teams will compete for trophies, college scholarships, and bragging rights in the second annual event, sponsored once again by The Fountains — Calhoun.
“The Fountains — Calhoun is so proud and honored to once again be the presenting sponsor of Dancing with the Stars — Calhoun for 2023. We are also excited to be able to offer our local seniors and families exceptional care in this community. It is a great way to support our town in a way that honors our local talent and residents,” said Carmen Green, Executive Director.
The ten couples competing this year are Danika Morton and C.J. Hawkins, Ansleigh Quarles and Rance Smith, Kaycee Doan and Nathan Fuller, Mary Jane McKinnon and Caden Williams, Chloe McFarland and Cam Curtis, Reese Davis and Ryder Smith, Graycen Nudd and Dustin Kerns, Banks Land and Issac Brooks, Belinda Counsell and Kaleb Ray, and Anna Kathryn Hayes and Porter Ledford.
“We have some fun surprises in store for this year’s event,” said Andy Baxter, speaking on behalf of the event organizing team. “But as always, the dancers will be the stars of the show.”
Mary Jane McKinnon and Caden Williams will compete this year as Couple #4. Mary Jane, a junior at Calhoun High School, is the daughter of Matt and Gwen McKinnon and David and Courtney Carroll. She has one sibling: John Carroll. Caden is also a junior at Calhoun High School and he is the son of Brent and Stephanie Williams. He also has one sibling: Brody Williams.
Mary Jane is a member of Future Business Leaders of America and participates on the Debate team at Calhoun High School. She is a STEM student and takes part in the annual “Shop with Stinger” event at CHS. Mary Jane loves to read and write, and is also active in her church, traveling to Israel a few summers ago with a team of students to assist in building a school for underprivileged children.
Caden is a member of the Beta Club and Spanish Honor Society. He is an accomplished athlete, playing in the position of Running Back for the Calhoun Yellow Jackets Football Team. Caden and his team were the 2021 GHSA 5A State Runners Up. Most recently he helped secure a Region
Championship for the Yellow Jackets, and an Elite 8 finish in the 2022 GHSA playoffs. While Caden’s college plans are still up in the air, he has already had seven Division 1 offers in football. He is also a member of the CHS Track Team.
Neither of these two high school sweethearts have any formal dance training, and both are competing in the show for the first time. Recently we got the chance to talk to both of them about this experience.
Q: How did the two of you decide to enter Dancing With The Stars — Calhoun?
“We have never danced before — we have no dancing experience, but we have very limited time to spend together so we are trying to make the best out of our high school experience, creating as many fun memories as we can! ” — Mary Jane
“And the scholarship money — that’s another reason why we decided to do it!” — Caden
Q: I know this is your first year to compete in DWTS, but have you ever seen the show?
Mary Jane McKinnon and Caden Williams
“I saw it once, a few years back, and it was great! I knew from that point that I wanted to do it.” — Mary Jane
“I’ve heard about it, but I have never been to the show before.” — Caden
Q: Tell us about your dance for this year’s competition.
“We are dancing to ‘In The Kitchen’ by Renee Rapp. It is a contemporary lyrical style dance that tells a story, which really does resonate with both of us as sort of ‘our story’, so it lets the audience know more about us.” — Mary Jane
See Mary Jane and Caden, along with the other couples, purchase tickets by going online to dwtscalhoun.ludus.com beginning Saturday, March 18, when ticket sales open to the public, or
email dwtscalhoun@gmail.
com for more information.