GDC Hosts 17th "Dancing With The Giordano Stars" Competition Benefit

Giordano Dance Chicago (GDC) hosts its highly anticipated 17th “Dancing With The Giordano Stars” ballroom dance competition 7-11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10 at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave. This popular annual event, patterned after the hit ABC series "Dancing With The Stars,” benefits GDC’s Jazz Dance/Science & Health outreach program, company operations and jazz dance advocacy and mentorship programs. Emcee for the evening is Lisa Fielding, Anchor/Reporter, Newsradio WBBM.

On that evening, a group of Chicago A-listers, each with their Giordano professional dancer partner, will compete for a shot at winning the coveted disco ball. The stakes are high with each couple performing only one dance for one chance to impress the guest judges including Ray Leeper, choreographer for the ABC TV show “Dancing with the Stars;” Emmy-winning director, choreographer and master educator Al Blackstone; and Candace Jordan, media personality for Crain’s Chicago Business, Associate Publisher Chicago Star Media and author of the Candid Candace Blog.

The slate of male contestants (and their GDC dance partners) includes Tom Ferguson Gomez and Sasha Lazarus, Asad Khan and Analysse Vance, Steven Lafayette and Erina Ueda, Matt Roma and Talia Luzzo, and Dr. Tian Xia and Amanda Hickey-Newcom.

The slate of female contestants (and their GDC dance partners) includes Megan Allen and Adam Houston, Jackie Dugenske and Simon Schuh, Jill Jaworski and Skyler Newcom, Maria Ponticiello and Eduardo Zambrana, and Christine Schaub and Fernando Rodriguez.

The evening will begin with spirits and light fare by Food for Thought followed by the competition. While the judges tally their results, guests will be treated to a ballroom dance performance by Richard Weinberg and his partner Vasylyna Barabush who recently won first place in the Fred Astaire World Championship. Open dancing for all guests completes the festivities.

Individual tickets begin at $150. For tickets or more information visit giordanodance.org or call 312.922.1332.