Audio clip
Elena Grinenko
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Nancy Dix
Chattanooga Lookouts owner Frank Burke could bust just one dance move when he started rehearsals for the first Dancing With the Stars: Chattanooga.
“Frank only knew the sprinkler: You just stand there with your arm out and do a step,” said Nancy Dix, Mr. Burke’s professional partner from Fred Astaire Dance Studio. “I had to create a cha-cha out of the sprinkler, and he won. He has a lot of drive.”
That challenge of transforming a rookie’s missteps into smooth moves — or “going from zero to hero” as “Dancing With the Stars” judge Bruno Tonioli called it last week — is what fascinates the 20 million viewers who tune in weekly to ABC’s reality competition.
Six Chattanoogans are stepping up to this dance challenge in a second fundraiser for Partnership for Families, Children and Adults. The next Dancing With the Stars: Chattanooga will be June 20 at Loose Cannon gallery.
Renee LaSalle, Alison Lebovitz, Linda Mosley, George Quick, Jason Taylor and Dr. Carolyn Thompson will compete to win the audience members’ votes that night.
Also performing will be two celebrity dancers from “Dancing With the Stars.” Fan favorites Tony Dovolani and Elena Grinenko will dance four times during the evening. The two danced together professionally off-screen and won the 2006 National and World championships in American Rhythm (Latin dance).
Mr. Dovolani is currently partnered on “DWTS” with Melissa Rycroft. Ms. Grinenko danced with Tucker Carlson during Season 3 and with NBA legend Clyde “the Glide” Drexler during Season 4.
Ms. Grinenko said in a phone interview she and Mr. Dovolani make guest appearances at a growing number of local competitions, representing Fred Astaire studios.
“Tony and I judge a few each year. I think it’s a great combination: unique fun with doing good for a cause,” she said.
Ms. Dix said local contestants who are chosen are “very motivated and good about getting people to donate for the cause, and that’s the fun of it. They put themselves out on the line and have a good time with it — sink or swim.”
“I’m very excited about doing this,” said Alison Lebovitz. “It’s for a great cause, and I know it will be an amazing and fun experience.”
IF YOU GO
What: Dancing With the Stars: Chattanooga, featuring Tony Dovolani and Elena Grinenko from “Dancing With the Stars” television series.
When: 7-11 p.m. June 20.
Where: Loose Cannon Gallery, 1800 Rossville Ave.
Tickets: $80 and $100 reserved, $40 general admission.
Reservations: 697-3829 or www.partnershipfca.com.
Renee LaSalle
Age: 29
Occupation: WDEF news anchor/reporter.
Dance training: My dance experience is slim to none — cheerleading in high school and college, plus show choir and whatever experience you get in musical theater.
Favorite dance: Thus far, the tango is my new favorite dance.
Who do you compare yourself to on the current show? I’d compare myself with Nancy O’Dell (television host who withdrew from the competition due to injury) because I’m accident-prone.
Alison Lebovitz
Age: 38
Occupation: President of One Clip at a Time Inc.; host of weekly television show “The A List” on WTCI and columnist for Chattanooga Parent Magazine.
Dance training: I am told that I took ballet for a year when I was 5 but have clearly erased that from my memory. I also took a few years of jazz in high school, and my husband and I took ballroom dance lessons for a few months before we got married.
Favorite dance: The hustle.
Who do you compare yourself to on the current show? I am probably a mix between this season’s David Alan Grier and last season’s Cloris Leachman.
Linda Mosley
Age: 56
Occupation: First Tennessee Bank vice president, Hamilton County Board of Education member.
Dance training: Ballet and some ballroom dancing.
Favorite dance: Fox-trot, swing.
Who do you compare yourself to on the current show? Not sure at this point. They are all so young and exciting to watch.
George Quick
Age: 51.
Occupation: Producing director of Chattanooga Theatre Centre.
Dance training: As an actor I’ve had dance training in ballet, jazz and tap but never any ballroom dancing.
Favorite dance: I should say the quickstep because of my name, but I guess it would be the fox-trot since that’s the only one of these types of dances that I really ever learned, and who knows if I learned it correctly?
Who do you compare yourself to on the current show? I don’t know anyone on the current “Dancing With the Stars.” Does that disqualify me?
Jason Taylor
Age: 34
Occupation: President, Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Dance training: None.
Favorite dance: Cha-cha.
Who do you compare yourself to on the current show? Bruno Tonioli — I am pretty high-strung.
Dr. Carolyn Thompson
Age: That is a state secret.
Occupation: Wandering minstrel and bearer of good tidings. When I’m not doing that, I am a consultant.
Dance training: My last dance class was in Grade 3.
Favorite dance: Any dance with my husband.
Who do you compare yourself to on the current show? The only dancing stars I’ve seen are in the sky.
Feature writer Karen Nazor Hill covers fashion, design, home and gardening, pets, entertainment, human interest features and more. She also is an occasional news reporter and the Town Talk columnist. She previously worked for the Catholic newspaper Tennessee Register and was a reporter at the Chattanooga Free Press from 1985 to 1999, when the newspaper merged with the Chattanooga Times. She won a Society of Professional Journalists Golden Press third-place award in feature writing for ...
Susan Palmer Pierce is a reporter and columnist in the Life department. She began her journalism career as a summer employee 1972 for the News Free Press, typing bridal announcements and photo captions. She became a full-time employee in 1980, working her way up to feature writer, then special sections editor, then Lifestyle editor in 1995 until the merge of the NFP and Times in 1999. She was honored with the 2007 Chattanooga Woman of ...
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