Reprinted from the Tucson Weekly (City Week), May 17, 2007                   

“Dancing with Our Stars” Benefit Performance
6:30 to 10 p.m., Friday, May 18
Kiva Ballroom
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort
7000 N. Resort Road
325-1400

Do you like watching Dancing With the Stars? Does the thought of local bigshots potentially embarrassing themselves appeal to you? Do you support helping babies and others in need?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, then you should attend the upcoming “Dancing With Our Stars” event, to be hosted this Friday by the Southern Arizona Community Diaper Bank. All evening, you can watch local celebrities–including Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall, Tucson City Council Member Nina Trasoff, traffic reporter Allen Kath and many others–get out on the dance floor to show off their swing, foxtrot, rumba and/or tango steps. Then, you (along with three professional judges and the rest of the audience) can vote on who’s the best.

Cheryl Smith, the co-chair of the event, says that the participants’ levels of dance experience are as varied as their professions. According to Smith, former local football star LaMonte Hunley has declared this to be one of the most challenging things he has ever done. And Diana Madaras, local artist and owner of the Madaras Gallery, has reportedly been spotted practicing solo in her backyard. (There may or may not have been a broomstick involved.)

“Celebrities were chosen in a variety of ways,” says Smith. “We first looked at people in this community who support the mission of the Diaper Bank and represent the diversity of our community–in terms of professions, age and ethnicity. All were thrilled to help because of the benefit to the Diaper Bank.”

Music for the event will be provided by the versatile Tom Patrick Band, who’ll play dance tunes both for those competing and those attending. In addition, mystery items will be auctioned off in a live auction. Tickets are $150 per person. And it’s for a great cause: More than 2 million diapers are provided annually by the Diaper Bank. –A.M.

By ANNA MIROCHA

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