Giordano Dance Chicago hosted its 10th annual “Dancing With the Giordano Stars” benefit at Park West on Oct. 1 before a crowd of over 425 supporters. Patterned after the hit ABC series “Dancing With the Stars,” this local dance competition paired professional GDC dancers with partners from the city’s social, civic and business communities to raise funds for the company and its community outreach programs.
A reception on the dance floor followed a traditional company pre-performance ritual led by Nan Giordano, GDC artistic director and daughter of founder Gus Giordano. Dancers, competitors, board members and special guests held hands in an “energy” circle and offered a shoutout to Nan’s dad, Gus, and a reference to 614 Davis, the original studio address in Evanston where they first performed.
Female contestants and their GDC partners were Susan Wexler Mazzoni (with Cesar Salinas), Rebecca Besser (with Adam Houston), Donna Kleinman (with Joshua Blake Carter), Karen Peters (with Zachary Heller), Anne Heller (with Devin Buchanan) and Bonnie Rothman (with Martin Ortiz Tapia).
The male competitors and their GDC partners were Joe Brown (with Katie Rafferty), Scott Himmel (with Linnea Stureson), Brien O’Brien (with Rachael Berube), Michael Rabinowitz (with Meaghan McHale) and David Reahl (with Ashley Downs).
Michael McStraw, GDC’s executive director shared the 53-year-old company’s history, noting that it has premiered 156 works created by 50 choreographers, performed in 25 countries, 45 states and 1,151 cities and is “America’s original jazz dance company.”
During the competition, contestants performed a compulsory fox trot and a dance of their choice. Judges, who included Jim Lasko, executive artistic director for Redmoon Theater Company, and Mort Kessler, an original member of GDC, selected Donna Kleinman as the best female dancer and Michael Rabinowitz as best male dancer. Honorable mention honors went to Susan Wexler-Mazzoni and Joe Brown.
Kleinman performed a high-energy disco number dressed in a gold catsuit, and Rabinowitz chose a quick-stepping swing/jive number to win the competition.
Emceed by Ji Suk Yi, ABC’s “Windy City Live” co-host, the evening raised more than $180,000 to support company operations and its Jazz Dance/Science & Health community outreach program that serves more than 400 Chicago Public Schools students in culturally and economically underserved communities.
“The event truly captured the power, the elegance and the spirit of celebration at the heart of Giordano Dance Chicago,” stated Nan Giordano. The company’s fall series begins Oct. 23 at the Harris Theater.
Freelance writer Candace Jordan is involved with many local organizations, including some whose events she covers.
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