Opinion: 'Dancing with the Springfield Stars' takes center stage

Who: Jim Anderson, Kristi Capel, Kimberly

Laburda, Mary Norman and Yakov Smirnoff

What: Travel and tourism awards banquet and arts council fund-raiser

Where: Oasis Inn & Convention Center

When: 6 p.m. April 28

Sparkly dresses, spiky shoes and fancy footwork will help the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau honor travel and tourism supporters on April 28 and raise money for the Springfield Regional Arts Council.

The bureau’s sixth annual Salute to Travel & Tourism Awards Banquet & Benefit will include a gala similar to the ABC reality show “Dancing with the Stars” but with local flair – including Miss Missouri.

“Dancing with the Springfield Stars” will encompass professional dance instructors paired with local personalities who are spending every spare moment learning ballroom dance moves.

By April 28, the dance teams will be ready to show off their talents for banquet attendees in a showcase sure to keep audience members on the edges of their seats as they see how much the amateurs have learned from the professionals in just a few weeks.

The “stars” are Jim Anderson, president of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce; Kristi Capel, 2006 Miss Missouri and a member of the KSPR news team; Kimberly Laburda, a member of the KSPR news team; Mary Norman, Arts Council board member; and Branson entertainer Yakov Smirnoff.

The dance instructors are Tamara Finocchiaro and Johnny Lambert with Pythian Castle and Don McCarty, Andy Walls and Marie Edgar with Sonshine Performing Arts Academy Royal Ballroom.

Besides celebrity dancing, the event at the Oasis Inn & Convention Center will feature the Convention & Visitors Bureau travel and tourism awards presentations. Awards are presented in five categories to honor individuals and businesses that play a significant role in keeping Springfield’s tourism industry strong.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Springfield Regional Arts Council.

Other activities include presentation of the arts council Ozzie Awards, dinner and a ballroom dance for attendees. For more information, call 881-5300, ex. 100.

Susan Wade is the public relations manager with the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau. She can be reached at swade@springfieldmo.org.[[In-content Ad]]