When it comes to fighting crime in Carson City, Sheriff Ken Furlong and District Attorney Neil Rombardo are on the same team. But when it comes to what truly matters — dancing — the two are going toe to pointed toe.
“That klutz couldn’t win if his life depended on it,” Furlong asserted.
The two are among local celebrities slated to compete in this weekend’s Dancing with the Stars to benefit Western Nevada College’s chapter of the National Student Nurses Association.
Carson City Fire Chief Stacey Giomi will serve as the master of ceremonies, and Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell and former Mayor Marv Teixeira will be event commentators.
While Rombardo and Furlong will be competing against 10 other couples for the mirror ball trophy, Rombardo has extended a personal challenge to Furlong.
“The terms are simple,” Rombardo explained. “The crowd noise following each dancer’s performance will determine the winner. The loser will give a $100 donation in the winner’s name to benefit the National Student Nurses Association at Western Nevada College.”
The two have been practicing with their professional dance partners to master the steps before Saturday’s performance.
Rombardo is learning the swing from Sarah Guzman, but he’s not sure which dance the sheriff will perform.
“He won’t tell me,” Rombardo said. “But I’m so confident, I’m not afraid to tell him.”
Fear, said Furlong, has nothing to do with it.
“I guess I would tell him if I knew,” Furlong said. “I have no idea. I just do what the young lady tells me to do.”
Furlong is now dancing with Madeline Ferdman, replacing his first partner who was forced to drop out after suffering an injury.
“Somebody did a Tanya Harding on my partner to eliminate the competition,” Furlong alleged. “We’ve been doing an investigation. They won’t get away with it.”
Both men are putting in all the hours they can to prepare for the match.
Rombardo said Guzman is typically patient, but as the deadline approaches she is getting more intense.
“I was sweating today,” he said. “She was working me really hard.”
Furlong’s partner is no less demanding.
“She kills me,” he said. “I die before she lets me off the dance floor.”
Rombardo knows he’ll have to bring the moves if he’s going to beat the sheriff, who will surely ham up his routine.
“He has so much charisma that he might be able to pull it off,” Rombardo said. “But I’m gunning for that guy.”
Furlong’s not worried.
“I cannot dance,” he conceded. “But in my sleep I can out-dance ‘Slippery Shoes’ Neil Rombardo.”