Competitors Named for 4th Dancing with Our Island Stars  

Six local celebrities and their professional dance partners will perform at ICE’s 4 th Annual “Dancing with Our Island Stars” on Friday and Saturday, March 26 and 27. Both shows begin at 7 p.m., at the Coral Shores High School Performing Arts Center, MM 90. The competition is patterned after the popular television series “Dancing with The Stars.”

The six local stars, and their professional dance partners, chosen to perform this season are: Jill Miranda Baker, Mariners Hospital, and Jerry LeNoir; Mike Forster, owner of Mangrove Mike’s Café and Rain Barrel Artists Village and Nancy Dunn; Chris Trentine, owner of CBT Construction and Stephanie Dunn-Zlockie; Lorie LaLonde-Miller, realtor with American Caribbean Real Estate and Albert Pantoja; Will Kennedy, owner of Chilli Willie’s Bar and Grill and Virginia LeNoir; and Jamie Lynn Ekblom, hair stylist and Jerry LeNoir (LeNoir will dance with two celebrities).

Popular charter boat captain Skip Bradeen, the 2007 Peoples Choice Award winner, will open the show, and world renowned ballroom competitor Rufus Dustin will perform several duties for the event. He will serve as event co-host, and will also assist in coaching and choreography for contestants. Christi Allen, owner of Pilates in Paradise, will co-host the event with Dustin. Dance experts Suzy Thompson, Ana Chacon, and Colin Hillary will judge the dance teams.

Since the first Dancing with Our Island Stars in 2007, the event has been standing room only. “This year, a second evening performance was added to ensure that all who want to see the dancers can attend the competition,” said Nancy Kluger, organizer for the popular ICE event. “While the winners will be announced at the Saturday night event, the votes of those attending Friday’s performance will be included in the tally for the People’s Choice Award.”

In the dance competition, each couple will perform two ballroom numbers. They will choose their own music, learn precise dance steps and select their costuming. They must maintain their focus, grace and composure during what has become high-pressured, but good natured, competition. The Peoples Choice Award will go to the couple with the most audience votes. The Outstanding Performance Award couple will be determined by the judges’ scores only. Judges scores from both evenings will be included.

The dance professionals are: Virginia and Jerry LeNoir, owners of the Club Baila Ballroom Studio in Islamorada; Nancy Dunn and her daughter Stephanie Dunn-Zlockie, owners of On Your Toes Dance Studio in Tavernier; and Albert Pantoja, ballroom dance instructor at Kendall Dance Studio in Miami.

David Feder, president of ICE noted that “the Keys are fortunate to have such well qualified dance instructors in our area, because it gives the entire event professionalism and polish.”

Morna Strengholt, local artist, is creating an original painting depicting the event that will be auctioned at the Saturday night production.  Proceeds from the auction will go to the ICE student scholarship fund.

Tickets can be purchased from the dancers, Cover to Cover Books at MM 87, or by contacting Nancy Kluger at 305-393-2129 or at klugerkeys@bellsouth.net. General admission tickets to the both shows are $25. A small number of premium front row seats are available for $100 a ticket for Saturday.