Giordano Dance Chicago (GDC) hosts its wildly anticipated “Dancing With The Giordano Stars 2023 - All Stars” ballroom dance competition benefit 7-11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5 at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave. The annual event, patterned after the hit ABC series "Dancing With The Stars,” benefits GDC’s Jazz Dance/Science & Health program in Chicago Public Schools, jazz dance advocacy, and youth mentorship programs. The emcee for the evening is CBS2 Chicago News anchor, Ryan Baker. The evening Star Host is Candace Jordan, Associate Publisher of Chicago Star Media and author of the “Candid Candace” blog.
Pictured: GDC Dancers Ashley Downs and Adam Houston.
For this year’s “All Stars” edition, a troupe of former “Dancing With The Giordano Stars” contestants from the past 15 years vie with a group of Chicago A-listers, each with their Giordano professional dance partner for a shot at winning the coveted disco ball. The stakes are higher than ever with each couple performing only one dance for one chance to impress the guest judges and snag “Best Male Dancer” or “Best Female Dancer” honors.
Guest judges will include Irma Suárez Ruiz, Artistic Director, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater; Kevin McGirr, Dance Aficionado/Benefactor; and Lauren Warnecke, Dance Critic for the Chicago Tribune.
The slate of men (and their GDC dance partners) includes Matthew Bozzo (with Sasha Lazarus), Joe Brown (with Katie Rafferty), Gorman Cook (with Erina Ueda), David Prange (with Ashley Downs) and Mario Sullivan (with Amanda Hickey).
The slate of women (and their GDC dance partners) includes Susan Flynn (with Adam Houston), Nicole Klotz (with Zachary Heller), Pat Manus (with Cesar G. Salinas), Stacie McClane (with Fernando Rodriguez), Tina Monaghan (with Ryan Galloway) and Sheri Passalino (with Rosario Guillen).
The evening will begin with spirits and light fare provided by Inspired Catering & Events and will be followed by the competition. The audience will also be treated to a special guest performance by Richard Weinberg, former U.S. Pro-Am 9 Champion, with partner Vasylyna Barabash. Open dancing for all guests completes the festivities.
Very few single tickets remain. For tickets or more information visit www.giordanodance.org or call 312.922.1332.
The “Dancing With The Giordano Stars 2023 - All Stars” ballroom dance competition benefit is made possible through the support of Anna Held Floral Studio, bKL Architecture, "Candid Candace," Golub Family Foundation, Inspired Catering & Events, Johnson & Sullivan LTD, Norcon Inc. and Park West.
“Dancing With The Giordano Stars 2023 – All Stars” precedes GDC’s “Season 61 | UNLIMITED!” engagement at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St., at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28. For tickets visit www.harristheaterchicago.org.
America’s original jazz dance company soars into their 61st season with energy and momentum. Giordano Dance Chicago (GDC) is an iconic cultural institution with deep roots in Chicago and partnerships around the globe. From its origins in founder Gus Giordano’s original school in Evanston, Ill., to its current incarnation as a Chicago-based world-class dance company, GDC boasts more than a half century of worldwide performances (28 countries, 47 states, more than 1300 cities). Entering her 39th season, Nan Giordano has led the company as Artistic Director, responsible for commissioning innovative choreographic works and mentoring thousands of aspiring dancers. The company is one of few in the world that has a foundational technique (NGCP©) with certified teachers in 36 states and 8 countries. This season, GDC’s robust schedule will include touring performances around the US including Naples, Fla., Dallas, Texas and Santa Fe, N.M. GDC’s educational mission includes workshops and mentorship programs at home and on tour. Their Jazz Dance/Science & Health initiative is a robust arts integration program in which GDC company dancers use a dance-centric framework to teach state-mandated elementary school anatomy and nutrition curriculum within the science classroom. Offered in the Spring of each year since 2006, this seven-week, no-cost program has served more than 5,500 Chicago Public School students. For more information about GDC visit www.giordanodance.org.