Part sheer entertainment and part fundraiser for some worthy causes, Dancing with Columbus Black Stars will provide answers for anyone who has ever wondered what would happen if the likes of U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant put on their dancing shoes for a little friendly competition.
They are among 10 local celebrities who will be putting on a show inspired by “Dancing with the Stars” on July 20 at the Lincoln Theatre.
The show, which will be raising money for Black mental health and Black arts, is the brainchild of Jewel Woods, the founder and director of Columbus' Male Behavioral Health, and Samara Tillman, the founder and director of Dance ELITE Performance Academy (DEPA) on the East Side.
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“I'm a girl dad, and my daughter is part of Samara's dance troupe,” Woods said.
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“I'm the last person on the planet who can dance, but I'd heard of something similar they'd done in Cincinnati, and I thought it was an opportunity to do something good while raising funds for some important initiatives.”
For Woods, the key initiative is a proposed youth grief camp, Sankofa Summer Grief Camp.
“I felt like there was a need to address grief in Black urban youth,” he said. “We want to create a space for Black youth and their families who have been the victims of traumatic loss and have a tremendous amount of unaddressed grief, whether it be from gun violence, or suicide or death from COVID."
Tillman added, “We know that mental health is something that hasn't, in the past, been addressed within the Black community. We want to bring light to that. We need to let our community know that it's okay to not be okay, and that we have to be there for one another."
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Funds from the show will also go to kick off a capital campaign for DEPA.
“Our dance company has been located in the same place for the past nine years, and we're bursting at the seams. Last December, I decided we were going to build a building, because we need space,” Tillman said.
Gayle Saunders
Hosting the show will be Gayle Saunders, CEO of the Saunders PR Group, and her husband, Jerry Saunders, CEO of Africentric Personal Development Shop (ADPS), who, while they aren't competing, might be showing off a little soft-shoeing of their own.
“We will be introducing the dancers, adding commentary to the performances and moving the show along. And then we will be sharing the results after the judges make their decisions,” Gayle Saunders said.
The competitors have been practicing for the past several months.
“We paired them either with naturally talented dancers or people who dance for a living, people we felt they would have some chemistry with and who they'd have a good time with,” Tillman said.
Some of the dancers are paired with choreographers, while other dances are choreographed by Tillman and GetCR8V's creative director Lawrence Lemon.
Among the competitors is Tracy Maxwell Heard, CEO of Millennium Solutions and the former minority leader of the Ohio House of Representatives, who will be showing off some salsa moves.
“I'm a former dancer, but I've never actually done salsa, other than fooling around. So I knew the basic steps, but this is a whole new thing. I've been paired with an amazing coach, Olaniyi Gaiusbayode. He's a phenomenal performer and teacher,” she said.
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Luke Fedlam, a sports law partner at Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, will be performing an Afro-beat number.
“This is so outside the box for me,” he said. “I like to dance, but I've never trained or performed as a dancer. I have a 10-year-old daughter who is really big into dance, and so to have that connection and for her to see how hard I'm working, for me, that's everything.”
Elon Simms
Elon Simms, chief of staff for Mayor Ginther, will be performing a fast house-style number.
“Keeping in mind my own background in social work and human services, I thought, 'Why not come out and support Black mental health and the arts and bust a few moves?'“ he said.
“I think it's important to highlight the strong connection between the arts and mental health: stress reduction, mood enhancement, emotional expression, social connection. It's a great way not only to showcase our talents, but to have a great conversation about what the arts bring to the Black community.”
At a glance
Dancing with Columbus Black Stars is set for Saturday, July 20 at the Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St.
A cocktail hour is from 6 -7 p.m., followed by special guest performances from 7:30-8 p.m., the main performances from 8-10 p.m. and the meet and greet and reception from 10-11 p.m.
Tickets range from $47 to $127 and can be purchased at cbusarts.com. More information about the event can be found at columbusblackstars.org.
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