A fundraiser for Wayfinder Schools

6th Annual Extravaganza

May 9

Click here to get tickets now!

CAMDEN — On Friday, May 9, Midcoast celebrities will take the stage of The Camden Opera House to show off their best dance moves in support of Wayfinder Schools. The 10 local stars will are pairing with professional dancers of Swing & Sway Dancing and Kinetic Energy Alive, and together they’ll Salsa, Samba, Tango, Foxtrot, Cha Cha, Hip Hop, Hustle and Swing their way into the hearts of audience members, all for a great cause-helping Maine teens graduate from high school.

This year’s Dancing with the Stars, the sixth annual of the popular show, will also include special performances by local dance troupes and pros including Nathifa Shakti, Shana Bloomstein, Studio Red, Korinn’s Dance, Rockport Dance Conservatory and People to People Dance Center, making for an unforgettable evening in support of Maine kids.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under, and are available at Camden National Bank, Green Tree Coffee and Tea, HAVII, The Grasshopper Shop, Beauty Mark Spa, The Reading Corner, The Camden Opera House and at www.wayfinderschools.org. The show starts at 7 p.m. and doors open at 6:15 p.m. Lead event sponsor is Camden Real Estate Company, with additional support from Maine Magazine, Penobscot Bay Pilot and Investment Management & Consulting Group. Tickets go fast, be sure to get yours early!

This year’s amazing cast of 2014 stars includes:

Rafi Baeza, Creative Director, Farnsworth Art Museum

Rafi Baeza was born in Santiago, Chile but raised in Camden, Maine. He attended Bowdoin College and then moved to San Francisco where he met and married Mia Perez, his Cuban wife. After moving to Miami, Rafi brought his family back to Camden so his children, Gideon and Ava, could have the perfect childhood. He is currently the Creative Director at the Farnsworth Art Museum and owner of Zafiro Cuban Kitchen.

 

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Mimi Bornstein, Founder and Artistic Director, Midcoast Community Chorus

Mimi Bornstein is a professional choral director, song leader, pianist, singer, composer, workshop and worship leader,  and best known in these parts as the Founder/Artistic Director of Midcoast Community Chorus (MCC) – a 140 member, non - auditioned multi generational chorus.  Founded in 2008 with a mission to sing as a community for the community,  and based on the belief system that everyone has a voice that deserves to be heard  MCC’s benefit concerts have raised over $50,000 for local non-profits doing important work in and for our local communities.  

Mimi is a very proud mom who has been living and raising her family in Midcoast Maine for a little more than 20 years.  Knowing that by many standards she will always be considered to be “from away” she is most grateful  to be considered enough of a local to have been invited to participate in DWTLS!

Though well known for kicking off her shoes so she can “dance” while conducting  her choruses, the lessons Mimi took to prepare for this show have afforded her the first and only dance training she has ever had the pleasure to receive.  She would like to give a big shout out to her way more than patient teacher, Steven, and say a little prayer that for this performance her shoes actually stay on!

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Allie Bowen, Customer Service Manager, Hannaford

Allie Bowen lives in Swanville with his beloved Dachshound Maxwell and 4 obnoxious cats.  When not at Hannaford, which is where I can be found at any given moment over the last 17 years, I enjoy traveling, gardening, and in the fall you can find me at the Fryeburg Fair!  I have volunteered for the Belfast Lions Club since I was a child, but just recently joined this past February.  I enjoy going out with friends and having a good laugh, and the stories I could tell!!

Dancing...where to begin.  I have never really danced before and I am excited to do so for this event.  Everyone thinks they can dance when they are at a club and lights are low and music is bumping lol.  Not me!!  I was asked by a customer of mine at Hannaford and I said sure, why not.  And I am glad I did.  I have learned that dancing is a good way to relax and burn off some energy.  My instructor Jessica has been very patient and is a great teacher, if she can teach me she can teach anyone!!

 

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Staci Coomer, Executive Director, Penobscot Bay Region Chamber of Commerce

Staci lives in Rockport, with her husband Kevin Pavelich and three children Carson, Piper and Dex.  She joined the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce as the Executive Director in October 2012.  PBRCC is the 3^rd largest Chamber in the state, and promotes the interests of its members by advocating for the commercial and economic development of the region.

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Kerry Hadley, Manager, Camden Opera House

A self proclaimed “drama rama” in high school in a crazy Italian/Irish/Jewish Boston suburban neighborhood, my goal was to perform the great tragedies – like Death of a Salesman– but what I was good at was I Love Lucy. Tragic. Gave up all the creative stuff to raise my 2 incredible sons, and became curator of the “Toy and Too Much Stuff Museum” in our 1850 farmhouse in Owls Head.

I want to honor the students and staff at Wayfinder School who remind us daily of what is important and that everyone deserves to be valued, supported and adored.

I dedicate this performance to sons Aaron and Aidan: keep following your dreams however they evolve – and whatever you do – make it FUN! And huge gratitude to Craig, who is always there for all.

Before managing the Camden Opera House, I was the first female executive director at the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, so I’m impressed that Staci was able to find the time to do this, too!! In my spare time, I love to play competitive tennis, garden, travel, sail, tinkle piano keys, listen to great sports commentators, get together with good friends, devour world news - and favorite thing to do – lie in the sun with a good book and forget all of the above!:)

Steven is the BEST!! Get on his dance card NOW. We are so lucky he and his partner have chosen our area as their new home. Welcome.

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Justin Hills, Paramedic, Northeast Mobile Health Services & Police Officer, Camden Police Department

WORK:  Part-Time police officer for Camden.  Currently a Full-Time paramedic for North East Mobile Health Services in Rockport.  15 years in EMS.  Volunteer fire fighter for Lincolnville about 8 years.

 

Volunteerism:  Special Olympics, local sporting events, local parades, local fundraising events, summer games in Orono, Law Enforcement Torch Run

 

Emergency Service Organization:  Run for Your Life (adventure race at Camden Snow Bowl).  I am one of the event coordinators to help raise awareness of public service volunteerism needed in Knox County.

Hobbies:  Kayaking, camping, swimming with the family dogs

FAMILY:  Alex (son 15 years), Samantha (girlfriend), Griffin (chocolate lab 11 years), Opie (yellow lab 10 years)

Dance Experience:  Had a job in the summers during college that involved working in bars in Boston.  All employees had dance lessons from official New England Patriots cheerleaders!  Fun time. Other than that no professional dancing, but used to frequent a lot of clubs around Boston during the college days.

STAR:  Was asked by some previous stars to be involved (Julia Libby and Charlie Jordan).  Charlie thought that a lot of people would want to come see a 6’7” guy shake his thing on the “big stage”

EXTRA:  Like the opportunity to be able to help out others.  People have come out in the past to assist me and I relish the opportunity to be able to pay it forward.

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Robin Jordan, Children’s Book Buyer, The Reading Corner

Robin (Hersom) Jordan, aka “The Commissioner” was born at Camden Community Hospital in the Winter of 1962, a week after John Glenn completed his first orbit of Earth, which had by then, contrary to published reports, cooled substantially.

Robin graduated in 1980 from Camden-Rockport High School, where she was a noted gymnast, and from the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in 1983. Upon graduation she served as the pastry chef at the Samoset Resort, then for 15 years as the sous chef at the famed Sail Loft Restaurant on Rockport Harbor. After “retiring” from the kitchen in 1999, Robin began her work at the Reading Corner in Rockland, where today she is the children’s book buyer. 

She currently resides in the City of Rockland with her husband of 29 years, Charlie (he apparently knows how to listen). Together they have a daughter, Mackenzie and a son, Jeffrey, both of whom live and work in Portland. The empty nest has since been filled with two Huskies, Kera and “The Other One”.

 

Colin Page, Artist

Colin Page studied painting at Rhode Island School of Design and Cooper Union, receiving his BFA in 2000. Page does the majority of his painting outside, working from life to capture the light and atmosphere of his subject matter. He recently had solo shows at the Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, Maine and Smith Killian Fine Art in Charleston, SC. He has also participated in numerous group shows internationally.

Recently, Colin Page received an award for “Best in Show” and “Artist’s Choice” at the Sedona Plein Air Festival, and was recently given “Irvine Museum Award” at the Maui Plein Air Invitational.

 

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Jennifer Ross-Boshes, Owner & Lead Esthetician, Beauty Mark

Jennifer Ross-Boshes is a Licensed Master Esthetician, NECA Certified, Pastiche Trained in Advanced Skin Analysis, Makeup Artist, and Certified Holistic Health Counselor.  

Jennifer believes deeply in working with her skincare clients from a holistic and balanced approach that combines nutrition, lifestyle and science. She offers skin care protocol and effective short- and long-term treatment plans to help her clients holistically. Her passion for and education in skincare and health keeps Beauty Mark in the forefront. She has also personally assembled a skilled, professional and dedicated team of estheticians as well as a manager to ensure that every client receives exceptional service at Beauty Mark.

Whether Jennifer is applying makeup for a subtle evening look or a client’s all-important wedding, shaping eyebrows or executing a highly specialized anti-aging facial, her talent, passion, expertise and willingness to share her extensive knowledge shine through.

Jennifer's team has provided make-up services for this event for the last three years and love to support the school and it's students. Jennifer lives in Rockland with her husband and son and is expecting a baby girl at the end of July.  

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Amanda Strong, Group Fitness & Zumba Instructor, Penobscot Bay YMCA and Swing & Sway Dancing

 Who doesn't already know Amanda Strong? Her omnipresent smile and always-ready laugh is there to greet you at every haunt in town. And if you didn't know the lady dancing down the aisles of the grocery store or swishing down Main Street, now you do. The stage is the most normal place she has danced in quite some time. She is also volunteer member of both the planning committee for Dancing with the Local Stars and Passages program of the Wayfinder Schools.

When Amanda isn't raising the roof, she is raising funds and awareness for Maine causes through the local philanthropic organization that she co-founded, The Hot Mamas. She leads the masses in Zumba at the YMCA & Swing & Sway and Group Power at the YMCA. Her most demanding of jobs is mothering three young children who keep her dancing between Montessori, Camden-Rockport Elementary School, piano, ballet, martial arts, gymnastics, lacrosse, swimming, and skiing. And Hannaford 14 times a week.

People who know Amanda would tell you that she makes every gathering a party, whether it's by bringing hot music or just a great vibe.

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The 10 local stars will be performing tango, hip hop, hustle, cha cha, salsa, samba, foxtrot and swing. Curiosity got the best of me and I dropped in Swing and Sway to catch a practice session. We were lucky enough to catch Allie Bowen going through a dance routine he will perform May 9, with his instructor Jessica Libby.

“We’re going to do the Hustle to a Whitney Houston song,” said Bowen. “I’m not an experienced dancer and really, it’s quite interesting. There’s a lot to it, and it’s very taxing if you haven’t done it like this before.

Bowen said everyone at Swing and Sway are great instructors.

“They’re easy to work with,” he said. “They’re a lot of fun and they know how to get you involved.”

I asked Bowen what he was going to do if he dropped his instructor. The room got quiet.

“I hope not to,” he said and the room got noisy all over again.

 

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Steven James Rogers-Dones is the newest instructor at Swing and Sway. He hails from Australia and he joined Swing and Sway in December. He’ll be dancing with Christian Clayton and Jessica Libby, both of Swing and Sway and Kea Tesseyman, of Kinetic Energy Alive. In addition, he’ll be dancing with local stars Mimi Bornstein, Kerry Hadley and Amanda Strong.

“I’m a big believer that anyone is a dancer,” he said. “I’m lucky with Mimi because she knows music and she comes from a musical background, so dance is just the next element for her. It’s a lot of repetition and memory. The key I think for anyone who comes into dance is muscle memory.”

Mimi Bornstein is also the founder and artistic director of the Midcoast Community Chorus. Mimi said she and Steven are doing an Argentine Tango. 

“We’ve been keeping that a secret until now,” she said. “I’m having a lot of fun and no, I’m not an experienced dancer. I just need to get a really good looking dress so people don’t look at my feet. I work with singers who think they can’t sing, so I do what Steven does except with singers. It’s a wonderful and humbling experience for me to be in an element that’s not familiar to me.”

Jessica Libby is the manager and an instructor at Swing and Sway. She commented on her partner, Allie Bowen.

“Allie is nice and the Hustle number is fun,” she said. “He’s got a good personality and he makes it fun, so it encourages me to be really creative with things. He’s good in the routine. We kind of loaded the routine with quite a few tricks, so I think it’s going to be a big hit at the show. Because of the nature of this performance, it’s like people need to go on the fast track of learning. We don’t have the time to teach them a solid set of basics before we introduce them to choreography. It’s tough on these people because not only are they expected to look good, but to put together some complicated patterns.”

Jessica will be doing a West Coast Swing number with Colin Page, Salsa with Rafi Baeza and the Hustle number with Bowen. Jessica would not comment on the number she is doing with fellow Swing and Sway(ers), saying that she wanted it to be a surprise, but said with a big smile, it will be exciting .

Jessica agreed that students with a natural sense of rhythm catch on quicker.

“The biggest challenge is helping some one, especially someone who is inexperienced, how dancing works,” she said. “The steps themselves are complicated, but with enough repetition and muscle memory you can get them. It’s then applying those to the rhythm of a song that make it the most challenging. I think this year’s event is a very wide range of stars. They’re from all areas of the professional world, so it’s an interesting combination of people. It’s always nice to meet new people and people from the community that you wouldn’t get to meet otherwise.”  

Swing and Sway owner Christian Clayton said he had a good team of instructors for this year’s Dancing With the Local Stars event.

“I’m excited,” he said. “We have a great group of people this year, 10 different stars and we have a good line up of music and songs which makes it a good show, as well. It’s music that people can really get into. I always tell these guys, it’s like you’re in nursery school and you have to learn college material. It’s a steep climb for these guys because they skip all those basic things we teach people and we have to go directly to that entertainment quality right away.

“Dancing With the Local Stars is always fun for us. It’s a great way to break up your routine, especially in the spring after a long winter. We have a big competition in Boston in June and this year we’ve had a lot of requests to do events out in the public. We’re getting ready for a big car show/graduation at Medomak High School. We hope to do the Lobster Festival this year, too. It’s a busy spring and summer and that’s good for our students because it gives them a chance to get out and perform. And it’s wedding season, so we have a lot of wedding couples in right now.”