Star Bart Hyde and student Jordan Medrano dance during last year's Dancing With the Stars Event.
Fallon’s 11th annual Dancing With the Stars, presented by Fallon Swing Dance Boosters, is featuring 10 local celebrities to compete at Churchill County High School’s gym 7 p.m. March 17.
While the Fallon Swing Kids teams have done many fundraisers, DWTS has continued to be the biggest fundraiser. The money raised sustained the dance program and dancers have won national titles, performed in Disneyland, and have been ambassadors to schools and youth organizations in California, Idaho, Hawaii and Nevada.
Tickets for Fallon’s biggest dance party of the year are at Jeff’s Copy Express on Maine Street; $10 for adults (12 and up); $8 for seniors (65 and up); $8 for children (11 and under); children 3 and under are free.
Lahontan Valley News will feature the 10 dancers participating this year in upcoming editions.
History of Fallon’s biggest dance party
When Debbie Edwards and her family moved to Fallon, and her daughters began high school, she wanted to provide the opportunity for them to be part of a top-notch ballroom program; so she began the Competition and Performance dance teams. It was her dream for these dancers to be ambassadors and share their love and knowledge of ballroom dance with Fallon and Nevada.
When the opportunity arose for the teams to go to Hawaii and perform, as well as teach workshops in several of the schools on Oahu, she knew she needed a way to come up with a really good fundraiser to make it possible.
Inspired by ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” Edwards launched a Fallon version in 2008.
From local coaches, teachers, businessmen and women, elected officials, military officers, and other respected members of the community, all were paired up to learn a short routine to perform the night of the event.
Over 11 years, many of the memorable celebrities included Mayor Ken Tedford, Lissa and Mitch Overlie, former Sheriff Richard Ingram, Lynne Heller (wife of Sen. Dean Heller), and Churchill County High School alumni turned-football star Josh Mauga.
A variety of judges also made the competition possible over the years, including local dance instructor Jef Horne, drama teacher Glen Perazzo, and ballroom instructors Jeffrey Lynn from Reno.
The DWTS committee chooses from several different businesses to help with the advertising and to draw a variety of people for their audience, including a “celebrity couple” competing against each other; one year also involved a competition between two siblings.
Fallon’s DWTS also showcases the Fallon Swing Kids teams. Each of the local teams presents a dance for the audience to enjoy between the celebrity numbers, including Fallon City Ballet from The Studio for The Performing Arts.