The Orange City Arts Council will be introducing an event modelled after the hit tv show “Dancing with the Stars” called Klompen with the Stars this weekend. The event will help raise money for a new mural to be painted in downtown Orange City.
Like “Dancing with the Stars,” there are six different dancing experts that have created routines and taught them to their “star” partners.
Sarah Wittenberg is one of the six choreographers for this event. She has helped the arts council with fundraising for various events in the past and recruits students to get involved with the arts council.
Wittenberg started dancing when she was 5 years old, competed throughout high school and has continued participating in dance at NW. Her “star” partner is 57-year-old Dan McCarty, the COO of the Orange City Area Health System.
“I have to keep up with Dan,” Wittenberg said. “He keeps me on my toes. He may be 57, but he is young at heart. He is a fantastic partner.”
Another element that Klompen with the Stars duplicated is sending a camera crew to film the dancers during rehearsals and to interview the contestants.
“When the camera guy came, so did the photographer,” Wittenberg said. “So we had three people in the room circling us the whole time. We were both thinking ‘Wow, is this what it feels like for (Dancing with the Stars contestants) every single time?’”
Jake Auerbach is another student choreographer partnered with a student star, Ali Achterhof. Achterhof was the 2014 Tulip Queen. This is the first time Achterhof will be dancing.
“I was in guard in high school,” Achterhof said. “That was kind of dancing, but not really.”
Acterhof participates in track and said some of her track skills have helped her with her dance routine.
“Our dance requires some lungs so endurance translates well into dancing,” Acterhof said. “I’ve always wanted to be in dance, I was always involved with other sports. So this is a good opportunity to try it out and see if I could do it.”
Acterhof is the youngest star in the competition, but Auerbach said he thinks this might be an advantage in the competition.
The winners of the competition will receive a massage and a dinner for two at Blue Mountain. The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in Christ Chapel. Tickets are $7 for students and $14 for adults.
PHOTO BY CLARISSA OEHLER Local pastor Jonny Craig and NW student Marissa Wiese are preparing a disco dance for Klompen with the Stars.
