Dancing with our Stars
photos by DORMANT GYPSY PHOTOGRAPHY
All great things have an even better origin story. Beaufort’s local fundraiser, Dancing With Our Stars, is no exception. In 2016, staff and children from the Child Abuse Prevention Association’s (CAPA), Open Arms Children’s Home, were on their way to Carowinds when they had to pull over because of the smell of smoke. The bus was fully engulfed within minutes as a group of shocked teenagers and two adults watched on the side of I-95 as their ride to the amusement park and many of their precious belongings went up in literal smoke. Fortunately, nobody was injured; and, yes, they made it to the park that day!
At the same time, the CAPA staff were evaluating their fundraising plans for the upcoming year. Christina Wilson, Executive Director, had been on the job for a little under two years and Jessie Chapman, the Director of Development, had just returned to the agency. They were looking for two signature events to carry CAPA’s annual fundraising needs. Christina remembers, “At the end of the day, we knew we would be doing Ghost Tours in the fall but were looking for something for the spring.” A local Exchange Club member had brought by a program for a fundraiser from out-of-state, and encouraged Christina and Jessie to look it over. After reviewing it, Christina told Jessie she couldn’t think of a good reason to walk away from this idea, a local dance contest.
The immediate need to raise funds for replacing the bus and to have funding when unforeseen needs arose in the future, combined with this idea of a dance contest, was a good match. Toss in a few veteran dance instructors, the Performing Arts Center, a civic organization such as the Exchange Club of Beaufort, and they had a winning formula.
Nearly seven years and five events later, CAPA’s Dancing With Our Stars has become a much-loved highlight during March. Each year in September, Christina and Jessie go out into the community, much like the Prize Patrol, with balloons, an invitation, and a hope that the local stars they invite to dance will say “Yes!”
Local stars are selected for various reasons, but they’ve done something for children or families that makes them shine in every instance. Christina describes the selection process as a “mixture of love, luck, and a little local knowledge thrown in.” Stars have been from all professions: doctors, first responders, teachers, linemen, realtors, local business owners, clergy, dentists, and more.
This year, the stars include bankers, teachers, a real estate agent, an engineer, a business owner, a dentist, a mortgage broker, the CEO of the hospital, and even a HVAC professional.
“If the community only knew about what we and these stars do quietly, day in, day out, for local children. Their stars shine so very bright.” Christina and Jessie keep a running list of potential “asks” for the future. Christina says, “They are always watching for new talent and star power.”
“We get asked all the time how we select the cast. We keep that a secret, but there is rhyme and reason to the process with lots of time and energy put into compatibility and entertainment quotient.” Christina sometimes sees someone do something or hears someone say something, and jots their name down. Truth be told, Christina says that no star is ever picked for the dancing prowess and inevitability; every single star says, “I can’t dance.” Jessie and Christina assure them that everyone says that, but they must say yes anyway!
From November to the event in March, the teams become CAPA ambassadors, raising funds, learning a dance routine, and educating others on CAPA’s work and mission. At the end of the competition, the People’s Choice and Judges’ Choice champions are announced. The People’s Choice Award is given to the team that raises the most money, and the Judges’ Choice Award is given to the team with the best performance. Awards have been added over the years to include Alumni’s Choice, where past dancers help select the best performance; Kids’ Choice, chosen by the residents of the Children’s Home; Best Costume; and new this year, Best Choreography.
Funds from the event help with the agency’s day-to-day operations, including the operation of the Children’s Home. Funds are also being set aside for a very special project. Since its inception, the fundraiser has raised over $700,000 for the charity. They are hoping for another record-breaking year, and the 2023 Stars look on track for just that. At the end of last year’s event, CAPA announced their plans to construct a new children’s home to continue serving abused and neglected children far into the future.
“We will need every penny we can raise to make that dream come to fruition. Based on everything we’ve seen, we think it’s a dream that will come true.”
This year’s event will be held on March 18, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. at the University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Performing Arts Center. Tickets for the event and the pre-show, the event minus the judges to be held the night before, will go on sale online February 1 at 8:00 p.m. through USCB Center for the Arts box office.
