By Staff

On Friday, Dec. 6, the Kenyon College Ballroom Dance Club (KCBDC) hosted Dancing with the Kenyon Stars, a charity event in which pairs of dancers performed the jive and salsa, the waltz and a sort of hipster/swing hybrid. This year raised a record total of $1,079.20 for the Winter Sanctuary.

The event, emceed by Professor of Music Benjamin “Doc” Locke, consisted of seven couples each dancing in a different style, two showcases prepared and executed by KCBDC, a showcase performed by Professor of Art Karen Snouffer and her husband Dan Snouffer and one number from the Kenyon College Dance Team. Audience ballots determined the winning team, Luke Kresslein ’15 and Director of Introductory Labs in Biology Jennifer Smith.

A panel of judges, consisting of Campus Safety Supervisor and Telecommunications Coordinator Deb Shelhorn, Professor of French Mary Jane Cowles, Assistant Men’s Lacrosse Coach and former “Dancing” champion Gary DiClementi and Associate Dean of Students Tacci Smith, critiqued each routine. The final decision, however, was left to audience members who had donated $2 each to receive a ballot.

“This year we decided to send [the proceeds] to the Winter Sanctuary [homeless shelter in Mount Vernon] and they’ve been really enthusiastic about it,” Bradley Raynor ’16, one of the competitors, said.

Brandylyn Arredondo ’14, president of KCBDC, hoped this year’s event would live up to those of past years. “My expectations were to at least hit the same mark that we hit last year,” Arredondo said, “and since the first year it’s gotten more fancy, more legitimate, with a bigger turnout and we raised more money.”

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