Tips for dancing with a local star

 The 15th Dancing With The Local Stars event is Feb. 7 at the Ambiance in Quincy. It's modeled after the TV show and is highly entertaining. Why would I know?

Well. I was in the first one, 14 years ago. My partner was Julie Venvertloh. We did a disco routine and our instructor was from Vancil Performing Arts. I met the late Frank Haxel for the first time at the Vancil studios when I wandered into the wrong building - there's something poetic about that - and he told me to go across the street, but not when there was traffic.

I can remember walking up and down a snowy 9th Street to attend practices, and how I felt like a massive klutz. This was the very first DWTLS event, and Cornerstone hit gold right away. It took place at the Holiday Inn on East Broadway and was sold out. It was also right before we opened Second String Music, so there was a lot going on.

Happy days, indeed.

The Mighty One, Adam Yates, is competing this year. He's dancing with Sam McKelvie, who is amazing. It's a bucket list item for me to attend one of her Zumba classes, but I'm afraid everybody else would be laughing too hard, or horrified, and I'd disrupt the class.

Strange how Adam and Sam haven't reached out to ask for advice or tips from an OG. Actually, it's not strange. I can't dance. But geesh, did Julie and I have fun.

Sheryl managed to find a gaudy disco outfit. I found the wig and sunglasses the other day while decluttering a junk room.I'm making an effort to toss stuff, but I don't have to heart to get rid of the disco outfit - yet.

Julie was sensational. I did not forget half the routine, I improvised half the routine. I believe there was a lot of beer involved. Chris Kelley was a judge and gave us high marks, but the other judges may have had too much beer and weren't as kind.

I was a judge the next year, to the best of my recollection, and that was fun as well. A couple of years later Kathleen Birsic and Kris Kutcher won it, and the next day they paraded around downtown with the trophy while making, uh, pit stops. They came into Second String Music very proud and very happy, with predictably hysterical results.

Sam and Adam have their work cut out for them this year. I've seen The Mighty One bust a move a time or two, and he has obvious rhythm skills being a drummer and all. But there are some formidable teams and some Quincy Community Theater veterans dancing, and they'll be good.

I look forward to being entertained! If Sam and Adam win, maybe we'll parade around town the next day too! Not.