Pell City Line Dancers bringing back “Dancing with our Stars”
PELL CITY, Ala. (WBRC) - A two-step mission this week for the Pell City Line Dancers: have fun and help first responders.
After skipping a year because of the pandemic, their “Dancing with our Stars” competition is returning Saturday night.
“Last year we did not have ‘Dancing with our Stars’ because of COVID, but we’ve come back strong this year,” said Lavelle Willingham, Treasurer for the Pell City Line Dancers.
The competition brings veteran and first-time dancers together. Sterling Burroughs and Andrea Machen are paired up this year. They have spent the past two months rehearsing.
“It’s been a ball. We’ve had a great time learning and looking forward to the competition,” said Machen, whose day job is leading the Moody Chamber of Commerce as the Executive Director.
“We have 103 dancers in our competition this year. We have eight couples, and we have nine groups,” said Doris Munkus, the Pell City Line Dancers Director.
Machen is new to Ballroom Dancing.
“I was a little nervous about it, but then my husband said ‘this is what you have always wanted to do.’ He said ‘go and do it,’” explained Machen.
Taking the dancing lead with Machin is Burroughs, who has decades of experience. He is the owner of Champion Latin and Ballroom Dance Studio in Hoover.
“I started teaching in 1985, and I answered an ad that said, ‘How would you like to sleep all day, party all night, travel around the world, dance with beautiful women and make great money?’ Here I am,” Burroughs said with a laugh.
“We will have all sorts of dancing, hip hop, it will be a variety.” Munkus continued, “You just can’t imagine the talent that comes out of these people in our local community.”
All the money raised from this year’s competition goes to the Pell City Fire Department.
“You know of course they have a budget, and of course they use it wisely, but like all other departments they don’t have enough, so it will go for equipment they need,” explained Munkus.
As the mother of a first responder, Machen knows this money could help save lives.
“Yeah, I spend a lot of time praying,” said Machen while talking about her son.
The goal of the Pell City Line Dancers is to raise as much money as possible. The last “Dancing with our Stars” two years ago raised more than $30,000.
Tickets for this year’s event start at $30 and include a meal. For more information, you can call Munkus at 205-473-4063. The dancers are already set, but you will still get an opportunity to show off your moves.
“We have intermission, and we get everybody on the dance floor who would like to dance. We usually even teach one and then we’ll have some exhibitions as well. So, we just have a lot of fun. It’s just a good family time,” said Munkus.
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