Area youngsters will have the opportunity to dust off their dancing shoes and show off their best moves during Sacred Heart School’s annual Dancing With the PB Stars.
In a fundraiser traditionally targeted toward adult participants, junior performers have been invited to shake and twirl across the historic Rodgers Theatre stage for the first time.
“Adults are sometimes worried or scared about getting on stage and kids are a little less inhibited sometimes,” Dancing With the PB Stars Committee Head Vicki Cato said. “We had luck getting kids to commit and parents to commit with the kids.”
Three couples, and in another first, a trio, will compete in two rounds of dancing beginning at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Rodgers Theatre.
Admission to the event is $10 for general admission and $25 for VIP premium seating for a night of entertainment by local performers and musicians.
Hillcrest Animal Hospital Doctor’s Kathryn and Mason Bell, one of last year’s co-champions from Dancing With the PB Stars, will return with a brand new dance to kick off the evening.
The four groups vying for this year’s trophy will then perform their first of two routines.
This year’s dancing stars include Cheryl Berry, a first grade teacher at O’Neal Elementary and her son, Jacob, who graduated last semester from Poplar Bluff High School; Millie Cato and Ben Friske, a senior and junior Pom Squad Dance Team members at PBHS; Chareca Clark and her son, Shawn, a kindergarten student who attended preschool at Sacred Heart; and the trio of Chad Parks with daughters, Etta Kate and Mollie, who attend preschool and kindergarten at Sacred Heart.
The performers have been preparing their routines and costumes for nearly a month.
Attendees can expect routines to range from classic ballroom dancing to hip hop or a traditional Waltz to country line dancing.
Cato said while the committee is available to assist the competitors if needed, everyone has come up with their own ideas pretty easily.
“They work very hard and it’s a big commitment for them with time and dedication for this wonderful event and great cause,” she said.
Chris and Subrina Berger will keep the evening on track by serving as emcees for the fundraiser.
Attendees will vote for their favorite dancers by casting votes of $5. Sacred Heart students will collect ballots and money after the first dance before taking an intermission to count the votes.
After intermission, the audience will hear the current standings and a second routine will be performed by the stars followed by another round of voting.
A second intermission will then take place to count the final ballots and monetary votes.
“The winners will be announced at the end of the night and receive a trophy,” Cato said.
All proceeds from the event will go to Sacred Heart School for operation and to keeping computers, textbooks and curriculum updated.
“Sacred Heart doesn’t receive state funds like public schools, so every year we have a goal to raise a certain amount of money,” Cato said. “This is to keep the school in the community to offer up a religious based program and low classroom (student-to-teacher) ratio.”
During the two intermissions, the audience will be entertained by several local talents including the Dance Studio, Phoenix Martial Arts, the Sacred Heart Choir, Maggie Thorn, Jerry Foster and Mike Barnett.
A group of Sacred Heart students will also perform a scene from “The Lion King,” a play they will present in March.
Sacred Heart graduate Cooper Hornbeck will also return to assist his alma mater and delight the audience through the evening by playing the piano.
“I hear people say every year they can’t believe the entertainment for the evening for only $10,” Cato said.
To keep up with all the latest news and next year’s call for performers of Dancing with the PB Stars, follow “Dancing With PB Stars” on Facebook.
“This family oriented event is a really fun evening to see what all the couples will come up with,” Cato said. “The local entertainment that is provided is just a great deal.”