It was a night of toe tapping music, dance moves and local celebrities.
Innisfail Eagles president Dusty Daines recently participated in the 2016 Sheraton Celebrity Dance Off in Red Deer and took top spot for outstanding fundraiser, earning the ‘Most Funds Raised' award for collecting close to $50,000.
“All of the funds that dancers raised goes right to Julietta's Place,” said Daines. “It means so much to me (to win top fundraiser). It just shows how caring people are in our community. I'm very fortunate to have people that supported me so greatly with the event.”
The annual celebrity dance off was held April 16 at the Sheraton Hotel in Red Deer and raised $250,000 for Women's Outreach Julietta's Place.
It was Daines' first time participating in the annual fundraiser. She was paired up with professional Calgary dancer Brian Senn, who teaches dance lessons in Red Deer once a week.
“He's been a part of this every year. This is his fifth year for the celebrity dance off,” she said, noting the types of dances she learned and practised for the fundraiser. “We had discussed it together and I told him I just wanted to do something fast and fun that the crowd would love.”
That fast and fun dance number was the polka.
“We did a polka, which no one has ever done at the celebrity dance off,” said Daines. “The judges gave me three 10s and one nine for a final mark,” she added, noting she was judged based on her presentation and overall performance.
In addition to four celebrity judges there were two technical judges who kept their final scores from the dance participants, but was added it to the overall mark.
An overall winner was chosen with one third of the total mark from the celebrity judges, one third from the technical judges and votes from guests in attendance. “There was a people's choice where people voted for their favourite dancer,” said Daines.
The real reason for the celebrity dance off fundraiser was not lost in the excitement of the evening, she noted, pointing out previously recorded interviews with three former residents of Julietta's Place.
They spoke of the impact the women's outreach society has had on their lives.
“They shared their stories,” said Daines. “It was very moving.”
Despite stepping outside her comfort zone, the annual fundraiser was an event Daines said she was glad to have contributed to.
“It was good to just put myself out there and do something for the moms and kids in our community,” Daines concluded.
Dusty Daines
"It was good to just put myself out there and do something for the moms and kids in our community."
