Hundreds attended the third annual installment of Dancing with the Salem Stars Saturday evening. The event was held at Salem High School.
Sponsored by the Salem Memorial District Hospital Foundation, proceeds raise money for capital improvements at SMDH.
Couples provide their own music and create their own routines for the fun-filled night. There were a variety of pairings, including married couples, friends, mom and children, grandma and grandson and more, introduced by master of ceremonies David Massengale.
Ultimately, David and Kelsey Schatz took home the $300 first-place prize with their high-energy swing number. Coming in second with the $200 prize was Brett Capps and Jamie Jones, with a mash-up of 80s favorites. Honorable mention went to mother-daughter duo, Jaclyn Plattes and Trudy Rutland, with their hilarious version of Sittercize.
The people’s choice votes, tabulated by dollars, raised $1,243. Dottie Steelman and son, Easton May, took home the $100 prize with a mash-up of old- and new-school, including mom teaching son the classics.
Other contestants were:
• Jimmie Cotner and Linda Maledy with a groovy mix of Abba favorites from the movie Mamma Mia.
• Don Sneed and Lorna Mundwiller Sneed brought soul with a Blues Brothers number.
• Shannon Wright and Marilyn Sweitzer did the tango.
• Scott Roberts and Megan Seay strolled across the stage to Arthur's Theme by Christopher Cross, and finished with a saucy dance to Havana by Camila Cabello.
• Jim Stanfast and Rosalie Wright brought back an old favorite with The Charleston.
• Rick Ragsdale and Melissa Ragsdale covered multiple genres with Patsy Cline, ZZ Topp and more.
• A.J. Seay and Val Meyer did the polka and topped it off with a side of the Shopping Cart and the Sprinkler.
The Salem High School cheerleaders performed a dance while judges deliberated for their final decision. Judges for the evening were Stan Podorski, Jody Heavin and Roxann Cochran.
All couples took the stage for the Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha and Electric Slide before the big announcement.
Many organizers, sponsors, and dancers make the event possible, including The SMDH Foundation Advisory Committee and The Dancing with the Salem Stars Committee, which includes Jason Edwards, Ruth Ann Parker, Connie Rushing, Judy Thompson and Chris Strickland.
Music was provided by Jarred Brown (J.B. Malone’s) and tech and soundboard was by Danny Yates.
A video of the performance was made by Khristia Webb of KSMO Video and is available for purchase.
