Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Celebrity couples dance like stars

Charles Larke, Wayne Frazier and Dana Bedden were among the contestants in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc's "Dancing with the Stars" fundraiser

Some of Augusta's own were shaking a leg Friday night.

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Ellis and Ann Johnson (right) watch Dr. Charles Lamback and his wife, Judy, dance to Got to Give it Up by Marvin Gaye at Friday's Dancing with the Stars fundraiser.  Nikasha Dicks/Staff
Nikasha Dicks/Staff
Ellis and Ann Johnson (right) watch Dr. Charles Lamback and his wife, Judy, dance to Got to Give it Up by Marvin Gaye at Friday's Dancing with the Stars fundraiser.

Dancing With the Stars, inspired by the TV show of the same name, featured local couples dancing to tunes as diverse as Hole in the Wall, by Mel Waiters, and Piano Concerto No. 1, by Tchaikovsky.

The fundraiser was for the Zeta Xi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., said Yolanda Copeland, its president.

"We give three scholarships to deserving students to continue their education into college," she said. "It also funds the programs that we have in the Augusta community."

Ferneasa Cutno, the founder of the Cutno Dance Center, worked with the couples for the event. The couples danced to songs they chose.

"Music is the great equalizer," Ms. Cutno said. "I didn't set any guidelines. I just told them to do what they would do at home, at a party or a family reunion. That instantly broke the barriers."

They were easy to work with because of the chemistry they had with their spouses, she added.

"Most of these couples have been married 10, 15, 20, 30 years, and I enjoyed seeing how their relationships translate into dance movements," she said. "You saw them working together."

Three judges scored the couples on a scale of one to 10. The highest score possible was 30.

George and Janice Bailey earned a perfect score for their dance to Bad Boy (Having a Party), by Luther Vandross, and Stanky Legg, by GS Boys. Mr. Bailey is the athletic director of the Richmond County school system.

Other participants were state Sen. Ed Tarver and his wife, Beverly; Dr. Ronald Brown and his wife, Mary; Ellis and Ann Johnson; state Rep. Wayne Howard and his wife, Cassandra; state Rep. Hardie Davis and his wife, Evett; Dr. Charles Larke and his wife, Edith; Rep. Gloria Frazier and Dr. Wayne Frazier; Dr. Willie Mazyck and his wife, Millicent; Dr. Dana Bedden and his wife, Ava; and Dr. Charles Lamback and his wife, Judy.

The event was held at the Gordon Club at Fort Gordon.

Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3336 or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.

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