- April 18, 2024
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Local residents will be competing
Absolutely Ballroom, 298 S. Nova Road, Ormond Beach, kicked off a fundraising event with a party on Sept. 19 that will culminate in a dance competition on Jan. 10 at News-Journal Center. In the fundraiser, called Dancing with Desire: The Grand Competition, volunteer beginning dancers will be paired with instructors, similar to the Dancing with the Stars TV show.
Proceeds will go to Cinematique, the Charles and Linda Williams Children’s Museum at the Museum of Arts and Sciences and Volusia County Schools performing arts programs.
Absolutely Ballroom owner Caleb Young said he expects 800 to 900 people at the January performance.
Ormond Beach residents are well represented.
Stephanie Mason-Teague, the executive director of Cinematique and director of the Daytona Beach Film Festival, said she was asking others to take part, so decided she should do it herself, and she’s always wanted to learn.
“It forces me to take time to do it,” she said.
Mason-Teague started as a volunteer at Cinematique ten years ago, and led the effort to open a permanent location. Cinematique shows movies, winners from film festivals around the world, six days a week at their Beach Street location.
She is an actor and has produced the show “House to Home” for four seasons on WDSC television.
Husband and wife Dr. Yong Tsai and Ho Tsai are also taking part.
Ho Tsai is a former music teacher who said she said she always wanted to dance when she heard music. She would lead her preschool students in music movement.
“I always danced with my students,” she said.
Her husband is a physician who specializes in rheumatology and allergy. He said in addition to being good exercise, dance helps with posture.
Angie Nickell is a medical esthetician and owner of Age Management Specialties.
She said she started dancing 10 years ago for fun and it became a passion.
“Dance is such good exercise and keeps oxygen flowing to the skin,” she said. “You release endorphins, like you do with any exercise.”
The January event will feature Georgia Ambarian and Eric Luna, cabaret dancers who have appeared on television and have won five world championships and five national championships.
Studio owner Young said he was involved with a similar fundraiser with the dancers in Fort Walton Beach.
“I am excited that Georgia and Eric will be part of our local event,” he said. “It’s wonderful to finally bring them to Daytona Beach.”
Visit dancingwithdesiredaytona.com or call 492-6399.
