Kool 105.5’s Tim Allan Walker & Instructor Olga Elsbury Win 18th Annual REACH FOR THE STARS Ballroom Dance Competition at the Kravis Center
500+ Fans Cheer Celebrity Dance Teams at Annual Fundraiser for Kravis Center’s S*T*A*R Series
More than 500 local dance enthusiasts attended South Florida’s most celebrated ballroom dance competition on April 16, when the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts presented the 18th annual Reach for the Stars. The annual fundraiser benefits the Kravis Center ‘s S*T*A*R (Students and Teachers Arts Resource) Series and education programs.
Hosted by the Young Friends of the Kravis Center, the evening’s twinkle-toe match-up featured eight local media celebrities and their partners from area dance studios. Waltzing off with the sparkly mirror ball trophy were this year’s winning couple, Tim Allan Walker from Kool 105.5‘s Mo & Sally Morning Show and Olga Elsbury from Arthur Murray, Palm Beach Gardens. The talented twosome wowed the crowd with a mean Paso Doble.
Second place finishers were Cha Cha queen Liz Quirantes from CBS12 and Craig Elsbury, also from Arthur Murray, Palm Beach Gardens. Coming in third place were Samba-dancing Katie LaGrone, an investigative reporter with WPTV News Channel 5, and Angelo Caruso from Caruso Dancesport, Palm Beach.
The other five celebrity dance teams were WPTV New Channel 5’s Christopher Wheeler with Doreen Scheinpflug from Fred Astaire, West Palm Beach; Sandra Foxx from WIRK 107.9 FM and Brian Baker from Studio 561 in Wellington; Lola Thelin from Palm Beach Illustrated with Webert Benoit from Caruso Dancesport @ The Plaza, North Palm Beach; WPBF 25 News Morning Anchor Shelli Lockhart and Sebastien Cajuste of Caruso Dancesport @ The Plaza, North Palm Beach; and the Rumba-dancing Deena Lang from The WRMF Morning Show with Deena Chad and Jennifer on 97.9 WRMF with Eric Ocando from Wellington’s Dance All Night.
The judges for this year’s Reach for the Stars ballroom dance competition were Suzanne Boyd from CBS12; Steven Caras, former NYC Ballet Dancer, photographer and the subject of a new documentary from Arizona PBS; and Josh Cohen from WZZR Real Radio (Josh Cohen and the Hometeam). The evening was once again entertainingly emceed by Tim Byrd (“The Byrdman”) of .
Following the presentation of the coveted ballroom trophies, everyone enjoyed an amazing array of gourmet food and wine, as well as a dance floor all their own in the Dreyfoos Hall Lobby.
The Reach for the Stars attendees certainly had plenty of delicious fuel for the festivities provided by a Grade A roster of belt-bulging dining spots including Blue Martini, West Palm Beach, Cabo Flats Cantina & Tequila Bar, Café Chardonnay, City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill, The Cottage, Echo, Grease Burger Bar, Havana Restaurant, Kona Grill, Leila Restaurant, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, Reef Road Restaurant and Rum Bar, Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila bar, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Sugar Chef Cupcakes, Sushi Jo and Zuccarelli’s Restaurant.
The Sun-Sentinel was the Platinum Sponsor for Reach for the Stars 2011; Gold Sponsors included Marcie Gorman-Althof, Sydelle and Arthur I. Meyer Foundation and Jane M. Mitchell. Susan Bloom was a Silver Sponsor.
Additional support was provided by Ish Rodriguez, Melissa Wilson, Ellison Graphics Corporation, Phase 9 Design Printing Web, Total Wine & More and Valentine Designs. Tom Gutmann and Tom Howard, TNT Dance Designs generously supplied the colorful dance costumes.
