Valley Stars, the annual dance fundraiser for the Salvation Army’s Turning Point, debuts at the Jefferson Center is Sept. 26, at 6:30 p.m. The dance competition will be held in the Jefferson’s Shaftman Auditorium with open dancing in the Atrium throughout the evening. Heavy hors d oeuvres will be available in Fitzpatrick Hall.
Eleven “celebrity dancers” (including three married couples) will perform a variety of dances ranging from tango to hip-hop for this fifth, annual Turning Point benefit.
Three winners – the star who raises the most money in a Red Kettle; “Best Dancer” selected by the judges; and “People’s Choice” as determined by the audience, will be picked.
The late Alison Parker, the WDBJ-TV news reporter, who recently died in an on-air shooting, was to have performed the competition’s first ballet ever. Funds, in her memory, are still being collected in a kettle.
Other performers are Chris Dodd, Friendship Retirement Community; Marvin Gill, Local Roots Restaurant; Julie Kern, Wells Fargo Bank; Mike Maxey, Roanoke College president and wife Terri Maxey; Kianna Price Wade, VIBE 100.1/97.7 FM radio; Del. Sam Rasoul and wife, Layaly Rasoul; Sharon Sever, Kroger Mid Atlantic and 2014 DWVS Red Kettle winner; Heather Shepardson, Carilion Clinic; Tara Wheeler, FOX 21/27 and 2014 DWVS Judge’s Choice Winner, and her husband Jared Stanley. Dave Spangler, Julie Arthur, Bob Carroll, Sammi Rader, Ted Sowder, Keith Miller, Willie Smith, Pedro Szalay, Tony Wright, Bob Grogan and Bootie Chewning have been instructing the performers in the various dance genres.
Tickets are $100 and are available for sale online, by phone or through the box office. Please call the Jefferson Center Box Office to purchase your blocks of tickets. The Jefferson Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and can be reached at 540-345-2550. Donations also can be made to the dancers’ kettles.
