By Vanessa Oswald
Several dance instructors, including guest artist Anna Trebunskaya from Dancing with the Stars, are coming to the Adam’s Mark Hotel on Saturday, January 16th, for Dancing for a Dream, in which they will teach a variety of dance classes to the public. All proceeds from the event will go to local charities.
Through the local choreography company, STORM, whose motto is “dance with your heart,” these dancers are joining together in an effort to raise money to benefit the children’s charity, Variety Club of Buffalo, by offering their creative talents to the community.
Thomas Radon (left), one of the founders of STORM, has been involved in charitable fund-raising since 2008 when he helped raise money for Carly’s Club for Kids & Cancer Research, teaching 214 dance lessons in just one week. Through this experience, he and a group of other dancers created their own organization and began hosting their own events through STORM.
So far, their effort has been up and running since 2009, and they look forward to hosting many more charity events in the future.
“It makes me feel like I’m on top of the world,” says Radon. He says that he could have never done this without all the help of all the people involved in making these workshops possible. “Every day it makes me feel good to know that I helped these people come together – who are willing to help other people.”
Radon started out dancing as a jazz and hip hop dancer, and later became a professional choreographer. After living the life of a dancer in places like Los Angeles and Orlando, and touring with celebrities like Britney Spears, he decided to return to his hometown of Buffalo. For the past seven years, he’s been teaching ballroom dancing at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio located in Williamsville. Soon, he plans to open a studio of his own in Orchard Park.
There are numerous classes being offered through these workshops that include ballet, hip-hop, belly-dancing, ballroom, jazz and even break dancing. Participants of all ages can join in on any or all of the workshops available.
“The classes are targeted to a wide range of people of all age categories,” says Radon. “I’ve seen people dancing as young as 6, and up to 75.”
The schedule for the workshops can be found at the STORM website with the list of times starting at 9AM going until 6PM. From 7PM to midnight, there will also be evening festivities with a theme basket auction and a professional dance show. There will also be general dancing where students can show off the new moves they have learned from the workshops as well.
Tickets can be purchased online for $40, for admission to all workshops and evening entertainment. Come and join the fun!
Top image of guest instructors Anna Trebunskaya from ABC’s Dancing with the Stars website.