Dancing with the Terre Haute Stars returns Friday

“Dancing with the Terre Haute Stars” was months away when the participants — most of whom had little, if any, dance experience — were introduced in June.

Now, however, judgment day is near — the 16th annual Chances and Services for Youth fundraiser at the Hulman Center will take place Friday evening, and some of the neophyte dancers’ nerves are on edge.

“For most of them, reality has set in this week, that the date is fast approaching,” said Brandon Halleck, Chances and Services for Youth (CASY) chief operating officer and owner of The Dance Studio, whose instructors coach the stars.

“When they agreed to do this several months ago, they said, ‘I’ll do this. I’ll be nervous, but it’s several months away.’ But now it’s ‘It’s really happening this week.’”

Sullivan Automotive Group’s Joe Mascari can attest to that.

“I had been saying, ‘This’ll be fun, this’ll be fun,’ and then Sunday night I was in bed and I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh — this thing will be in five days,’ and I started getting nervous,” said Mascari, who will perform the salsa. “It sinks into my head: I need to step it up.”

Still, Halleck, who recently observed his 25th anniversary running CASY, insisted Wednesday that “They’ve all been doing a great job. For the vast majority of folks who do ‘Dancing with the Terre Haute Stars,’ they’ve never danced before, and so it’s a little intimidating for folks moving out of their comfort zone.”

He added, “It helps that they’re partnered with a professional from The Dance Studio — we know what we’re doing, so we can lead them out there on the dance floor.”

Mascari agreed on that point, as well. “I’m not going to be a professional dancer by any means, but Kelsey [Clement, dance instructor] and Brandon have helped me calm my nerves and have given me easy pointers,” he said.

He summed up his dance experience: “None whatsoever,” and described the salsa as “a fast-pace, high-energy type dance, and I’m doing it having not known anything about it.”

“I can’t explain how nervous I am,” said Alisa Abney-Bonine, who will represent Tolly’s and the 25th Street Tavern as she dances the waltz.

“I have so much respect for professional dancers — they make it look so easy, and it’s not. But I’ve done pretty well raising money and I’m looking forward to the evening.”

Abney-Bonine took dance lessons as a kid, “and now I live the bar life,” she said. Participating in the event, she added, taught her “that sometimes I sell myself short, that if I put my mind to something, I can achieve it.”

Another participant who has been inspired by her time training (for the samba) is Amanda Houge of Novelis.

“I’ve come a long way since [June],” said Hogue, who had no dance background. “I feel amazing, prepared and excited. I don’t think I could feel any better about it. I’m not going to win, but it’s all for the cause and it’s a great cause.”

Hogue called her time amidst the CASY community “life-changing. It’s honestly helped me grow personally and become more involved in the community. I’ve learned about all the resources that Chances offers.”

Speaking about CASY and The Dance Studio,” Hogue said, “Both groups have some of the best people I’ve ever met. They’re friendly and they make you comfortable and that’s priceless. CASY is a well-oiled machine and they threw me into the machine and I came out polished.”

“I don’t think anybody’s struggling,” Halleck said. “Most people come in with zero dance experience, and so I really enjoy watching them progress and grow through their 10 lessons. They’re an amazing group — it takes a lot to move out of your comfort zone, but they’re moving out of theirs in front of 1,000 people and a live TV audience.”

The event is sold out, but it will be shown on WAWV-TV 38 at 7 p.m. Those wishing to donate can vote for their favorite star at https://casyonline.org/stars-previous/ or bid on items in a silent auction at https://casyonline.auctions.networkforgood.com/auctions/01.

Labor Link’s Michelle Hein won last year. WTWO-TV 2’s Tim Sanders won the Judge’s Trophy.

Judges this year will be Noah Gambill, Gary Greiner and Vicki Weger.

One of this year’s contestants, Ivy Tech’s Alia Shuck who will perform the tango, has a previous CASY tie.

“She is a former Chances employee,” Halleck said. “I hired her years ago right out of college. She ran our Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program. So she helped me out many years ago and now she’s helping us once again. She’s a great asset to anything she does.”

Another participant, WTWO-TV 2 morning anchor Shelby Reilly, will do the hustle — and she may manage to pull another hustle, as she could be this year’s ringer.

“I have actually danced my entire life, so I was jumping at the opportunity,” Reilly said in June.

“She’s gonna be good,” Halleck said. “I’m going to enjoy her dance out there.”

Other contestants include:

• Brenda Wilson, representing the Vigo County Council, will dance the Cha Cha.

• Westminster’s Lauren Keisheimer will perform the foxtrot.

• Eleni Miller of the Vigo County School Corporation will do the quickstep.

• Century 21 Elite’s Taylor Austin will boot-scoot to the country two step.

• Leslie Hemminghouse, a stay-at-home mother, will move to the East Coast swing.

• First Financial Bank’s Jon Scherle will rumba.

• Jimmy Merk, representing Cook Medical Group of Spencer, will dance the merengue.

Halleck will dance with six of the contestants: Austin, Shuck, Hogue, Hemminghouse, Keisheimer and Wilson.

Last year’s fundraiser amassed a record haul, surpassing $282,000.

Halleck said he believes reaching $300,000 is not in the cards this year, in part due to inflation putting a dent in local wallets.

“We’re not gonna hit it,” he said flatly. “We’ll be over $200,000, but that’s not a goal. Eventually, you reach a point where this is as much as we’re gonna raise.”

Among the CASY efforts the fundraiser benefits are after-school programs, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Camp Rave’s summer program, iLead, Lemonade Day, Safe Kids, Teen Court and Tobacco Prevention and Cessation.