PHOTOS BY JENNIFER COLTON
[quote style=”2″]Dancers Raising Money for Charity in Desert Arts Event[/quote]
Bruises, sore muscles and hours of work will pay out for one of Hermiston’s “stars” this week.
On Saturday, six locals will take the stage at Hermiston High School to compete in the second annual “Dancing with Your Hermiston Stars” event presented by the Desert Arts Council. Each is raising money for a favorite charity, and one will also take home the coveted mirror ball trophy.
This year’s stars and their charities are:
• Travis Eynon, Hermiston Police Department, dancing the disco for Martha’s House;
• Steve Williams, US Bank in Hermiston, dancing a jitterbug/swing for Rotary Foundation to Eradicate Polio;
• Michelle Jensen, Hermiston School District, dancing the cha-cha for Hermiston Education Foundation;
• Kim Puzey, Port of Umatilla, dancing the Argentine tango for Shelter Box ;
• Sally Anderson Hansell, attorney at Anderson Hansell PC, dancing the rumba for Sisters Influencing Survivorship;
• Laurie Fialka, Eastern Oregon Higher Education Center, dancing the country two step for Vange John Memorial Hospice.
(MORE PHOTOS FROM WEDNESDAY’S REHEARSALS)
Each star has been partnered with a member of The Utah Ballroom Dance Troupe for the competition. Four of the six dancers are returning for the second year in a row, and one of those is Andrew Blackburne, who will join Fialka in the country two step.
“It’s a fun dance. It’s really energetic, it’s fast, and it’s a lot of fun,” he said Wednesday during the stars’ fourth practice at the Arc building.
“It’s a mix,” Fialka said. “Some pieces are a little harder, some are a little easier. Overall, I think the important thing is we’re having fun and we’re bringing money in for charities. The charities are the real winners.”
Each charity will receive all funds raised by their star, regardless of who wins the competition. Each dollar donated to a charity counts as one vote for the representative star.
Eynon, administrative captain for the Hermiston Police Department, said he initially turned down the request to participate but agreed in order to raise funds for Martha’s House, a family homeless shelter in Hermiston.
“My boss asked if I would be interested, and, initially, I told him, ‘no,’ then I said I’d think about it, then I agreed,” he said. “I don’t regret it at all. I actually feel better about it now than I did a week ago. I have a great teacher.”
Eynon might have an advantage. His partner, Casey Bartlemay, coached last year’s winner on his Argentine tango.
“I think I’ve got an excellent teacher. She breaks everything down into baby steps for me,” Eynon said. “I’m not so sure about my odds (of winning), but I know I have an excellent partner.”
This year’s Argentine tango will be performed by Kim Puzey, general manager of the Port of Umatilla. Puzey is raising funds for Shelter Box, a charity that delivers tents and supplies to underdeveloped countries and areas in need of disaster relief.
The swing will also return this year. Steve Williams, of the Hermiston branch of US Bank, said the dance is much harder than he expected.
“It’s only Wednesday, so we hope the last half of the week shows as much progress as the first,” he said. “The hardest part is knowing the steps and doing the steps when you’re supposed to.”
One dancer, Sally Anderson Hansell, took her practice to the next level by slipping on high heels to rehearse a sexy rumba.
“I don’t feel awkward practicing at all. These are great people, and this is just fun,” she said Wednesday. “I think it’s a fun event for the community, especially because it’s a charity event.”
Anderson Hansell is raising funds for Sisters Influencing Survivorship, a nonprofit organization that supports those diagnosed with breast cancer and their families.
“I don’t think they’re as well-known as they should be. They very discretely and quietly do their good work,” she said. “We have a special connection with (SIS).”
SIS and Anderson Hansell have experience with Dancing with Your Hermiston Stars: Last year’s winner just happens to be Anderson Hansell’s husband, T.J., who also raised money for SIS.
T.J. Hansell also stopped by the Arc on Wednesday to offer tips and encouragement for this year’s dancers.
“It’s a lot of fun watching everyone go through the same sweat and turmoil,” he said with a laugh. “This is just a great event for some great charities.”
Two of Hansell’s former competitors – Bryn Browning and “Sophie,” the “twin” sister of Jordawn Wambeke – will return as judges this year. Bryan Wolfe will be the third celebrity judge.
“Dancing with the Hermiston Stars” begins at 7 p.m. Saturday at Hermiston High School. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased from the Desert Arts Council website.
