Local celebrities to compete in "Dancing with the Louisiana Stars" on Feb. 24

Ian Robinson, Monroe News-Star
·2 min read
Dancing with the Louisiana Stars will be Feb. 24 at the Monroe Civic Center at 7 p.m.
Dancing with the Louisiana Stars will be Feb. 24 at the Monroe Civic Center at 7 p.m.

For the fourteenth year, the arena at the Monroe Civic Center will be filled with local celebrities competing in the Dancing with the Louisiana Stars, a benefit for the Louisiana Delta Ballet Company.

The 20 local celebrity dancers will be paired with dancers from LDB and the dancing begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 24. The program will be judged by Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis, West Monroe Mayor Staci Mitchell, ULM Director of Admissions Lisa Miller and Miss Louisiana Gracie Reichmann.

This year's contestants are:

  • James Breaux, Financial Advisor − Merrill Lynch

  • Phillip Brooks, Videographer − Vantage Health Plan, Station Manager and Personality − Hill Radio

  • Scott Bruscato, Senior Vice-President of Sales − Discover Monroe West Monroe

  • J.J. Daniels, Private First Class − Monroe Police Department

  • Thomas Graham, Insurance Producer − The Lincoln Agency

  • Madison Guerriero, Owner − Nude Nomad Boutique

  • Trevor Jones, Owner − Heavyweights Supplements

  • Morgan Livingston, Attorney − Hudson, Potts & Bernstein

  • Josh Mandrell, Dermatologist Surgeon − Green Clinic

  • Michelli Martin, Communications Director − City of Monroe

  • Valerie Matherne, Attorney − Matherne & Davis

  • Peyton McKinnie, Lieutenant − Union Parish Sheriff's Office and Owner − Tiger Bend Outdoors

  • Brian Mercer, Senior Pastor − First Methodist Church

  • Sam Nelson, Realtor − Harrison Lilly Team

  • Kyle Nix, Owner − Twin City Chiropractic

  • Bruce Rushing, Vice-President and Commercial Lender − Origin Bank

  • Charlie Simmons, Fire Chief − West Monroe Fire Department

  • Gabe Tumey, Head Track and Field Coach − West Ouachita High School

  • Justin Underwood, Vice-President and Senior Mortgage Lender − Origin Bank

  • Matt White, President − Drax Biomass

Artistic director Missy Crain said the annual fundraiser supports the LDB's dance season, which includes expenditures on performances.

"We do the fundraiser to actually support our ballets," Crain said. "Ballets, generally at the theater, if you have... let's say a week-long run, you have about about a $75,000 price tag on every performance and that gets very expensive. Although the fundraiser doesn't completely support it, we've got membership and tickets, it just helps the supplements. We never know from year to year, I couldn't begin to tell you how much it's made over the years but we hope to do well this year. It looks like our table sales are really going well."

Patrons are seated at tables of 8 on the floor of the Civic Center and are treated to food provided by local caterers and restaurants, such as Waterfront Grill and Gigi's Kountry Kitchen, along with wines and beer donated by Choice Brands, Marsala Beverage and Glazer's Wholesale Distributors.

General admission is $35.

For more information, contact Colette Boutwell at 318-381-7489.

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This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Local celebrities to compete in "Dancing with the Louisiana Stars"