Cha-cha-ing for the Community with First Coast Dancing with the Stars

Words by Su Ertekin-Taner

First Coast Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) wrapped up its eighth season with its annual gala and competition at WJCT Studios. The gala’s format imitates, as the name suggests, that of the eponymous Emmy Award-winning TV series, “Dancing with the Stars” — except on a local level. Local professional ballroom dancers and local celebrities team up to compete for the local version of the iconic mirror ball trophy. Instead of the multiple rounds of competition that the celebrities of Dancing with the Stars endure, however, the First Coast DWTS teams undergo only one crucial round of judging. 

This year’s gala, hosted by and benefiting the Beaches Fine Arts Series, featured eight pairs of competitors cha-cha-ing, jiving, swinging and dancing the merengue and Zouk for the chance at winning the mirrorball trophy. Each performance was the culmination of four months of ballroom skill lessons, learning choreography and refining the performance.

But First Coast Dancing With the Stars is the more glamorous front of an impactful community contribution. Accordingly, the win each year depends equally on each local DWTS stars’ fundraising efforts for Beaches Fine Arts Series. So while learning and polishing their ballroom routines, stars were also making financial moves. Stars sell tickets to the event, votes and gala program ads to family, friends, coworkers and clients in the hopes of raising more funds than their competitors. 

Each year, the stars’ fundraising efforts account for a third of Beaches Fine Arts Series’ budget, specifically to finance their free concerts and educational programming. BFAS also allocates some of the funds from the event to artists’ performance and masterclass fees, as well as bussing children from Title I schools who want to attend events on site. This year some of these funds will also pay for artists’ on-site performances at Pine Castle, an academy for adults with intellectual and developmental differences, in addition to Jacksonville senior living facilities. 

“The benefit is enormous for Beaches Fine Arts Series. It makes a huge difference. As you can imagine, a third of a budget is…that’s a lot of how we’re able to make things happen,” Kathy Wallis, executive director of BFAS and the brainchild of First Coast DWTS, said. 

The now annual fundraiser event has come a long way from its experimental roots. Inspired in part by another local DWTS event called River City Dancing with the Stars, the 2013 trial DWTS fundraiser was meant to replace the organization’s costly triathlon fundraiser. 

The switch was also a tribute to Wallis’ fruitful ballroom experience with current First Coast DWTS pro Chris Thomas: “I did a few competitions, you know, at the lower level, and I just learned a little bit about the ballroom world, and I knew about all the dancing and stuff.” Wallis added, “I knew it was kind of possible for an amateur, a person who had really never danced before, to do this.” 

A successful (not to mention more financially viable) gala rounded off a year of pitching the concept to local dance studios, recruiting stars and dutiful venue planning. “We’ve been doing it ever since,” Wallis said. 

This year’s champions, pro Allan Alday and star Clarissa Chandler, were both enlisted by this word of mouth recruitment process. Inspired by the potential community impact of his efforts and keen on dancing on a new stage, Alday joined the DWTS program in its first year. “Since [the event is] concerning arts and music, I said, ‘why not?’” Alday commented. 

His partner, choral performer Clarissa Chandler, was also well-acquainted with the Beaches Fine Arts community, having regularly attended the organization’s free concerts and programming including First Coast DWTS in the past. “I was an easy sell,” Chandler admitted. 

The eager pair perfected their cha-cha-disco-hustle routine to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” with weekly, sometimes semiweekly rehearsals for four months. While Chandler was no stranger to the concept of moving to rhythm and noting musical intricacies, Alday’s lessons on maintaining balance and following the movements of the leader challenged the singer. Chandler even quipped, “I think I had to learn how to follow which was the hardest part. Being married to my husband for 45 years, I’ve always done the leading.”

Throughout the process of learning her routine and fundraising, Chandler’s desire to place in the top three dancers morphed into a desire to win. The winning mindset was fit for a winning performance. The lively routine — along with Chandler’s sparkling dress — dazzled the panel of professional dancer judges (Dewitt Cooper III, Megan Wallace Widrich and Norianne Wright). The dance scored a perfect 30 and warranted the win. Pro Sean Anthony and star Pat Gillum Sams were close first runner-ups. 

Now, Alday somewhat-jokingly plans to take Chandler’s dancing national. “My plan for her is to compete all over the U.S. because she’s got what it takes,” Alday said. Maybe, we’ll see the pair hit national stages. Maybe not. Regardless, it would be difficult for either Chandler or Alday to forget their First Coast Dancing with the Stars roots.