As Dancing with the Clarendon County Stars is just over a month away, many participants are practicing their moves and preparing for the big night.
"I thought it was a good idea to be involved," joked Craig Varn, "until I got asked to do it."
The 45-year-old owner of Clarendon Credit said Donna Prothro called him one day and said she had the perfect dance partner and convinced him to take part.
He said Prothro and dance partner Emily Richburg have made him much more comfortable on the dance floor than he thought possible.
"I learned dancing is not as easy as what people might think," he said. "The first time I was overwhelmed by everything but we'll see."
Varn and Richburg are working out a routine that pays homage to "Grease," the classic 1978 musical starring John Travolta and Oivia Newton-John.
"We're dancing to 'You're the One That I Want,'" Varn said, with costumes that will mimic the characters in the movie. "It should be pretty cool. We're kind of doing our own little thing."
District 1 City Councilman Clayton Pack promises that his dance routine with Linsy Wells will provide entertainment for the masses if nothing else.
"I'm still crossing my legs up but we're going to have fun. I'm trying to keep my count on," he said. "One, two, three, cha-cha-cha."
Pack said he's enjoyed the initial practices with Wells and likes having fun, but more important to him is giving back to the community.
"I believe in helping with Habitat for Humanity and helping build houses," he said. "It's my passion to try to give back."
Working for Coinstar keeps him busy, as does J&P Rentals, but Pack is looking forward to hitting the stage at 7 p.m. Aug. 9 at The Matrix Center. He and Wells are still trying to figure out costumes and the routine, he said.
"It will have some of the cha-cha in it. We're trying to work it out," he said.
Dancing for a crowd is nothing new for Grace Surette – although she's only 18-years-old, she's been dancing since she was 2.
"I love helping out in the community and I love raising money and Miss Cheryl (Wingard) asked me so I said yes," she said.
Surette, who just graduated from Manning High School and will start classes at Coastal Carolina University in the fall, has taken part in Clarendon County's dancing contest the last two years.
She's also danced in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. She and her partner, Zan Beasley, have picked Michael Jackson's "Pretty Young Thing," to dance to, but have yet to finalize any costume choices.
"It's gonna be a surprise," she said.
For Robert J. Baker, he's spent plenty of time on stage – sitting at the piano. The 33-year-old editor of The Manning Times has played before an audience of 25,000 people, and has been playing piano for as long as he can remember.
"By the time I was 13, I was the national champion in my age class for the South Carolina Independent School Association. To me, playing on stage and dancing on stage are two completely different concepts," he said.
A few years ago he was asked to take part in Dancing with The Stars but declined. This time around, he will partner with 15-year-old Bailee Garneau, who like Richburg is a student of Donna Prothro’s The Dancer’s Worksho. They've picked Olly Murrs' "Dance with Me Tonight," to accompany a jive/Lindy hop that is very up-tempo, and Prothro has been helping them through the steps.
"It is extremely fast, but I think I'm coping nicely," he said. "Donna is quite encouraging. She tells me I'm both too hard on myself and that I am too self-deprecating. Both are true, but not only do I want to do my best, I want to win. I want to win because I'm competitive. But I also want to win for Bailee."
Proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity and other local charities.
Teams will vie for the overall dance trophy – for the team who scores the most points under the judges’ system – and for another trophy signifying the team that raised the most money.
Tickets for the event will be $100 each. Voting is now open online at clarendoncountydancingwiththestars.com.
See next week’s Manning Times for the next four teams.
