Showing the moves

MOSES LAKE — The Wallenstien Theater was almost full Saturday night for the second annual Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars. 

“It was exciting to see (so many) young people,” said Judy Twigg, vice president of the Central Basin Community Concert Association, which hosted the event. “It shows that if you get the right entertainment in Moses Lake, it draws people.” 

It did indeed draw people, about 500, according to CBCAA board member Frances Irwin. Precise numbers weren’t yet available at press time, but the event was estimated to have brought in about $20,000 after expenses. 

The event was patterned after the TV show “Dancing with the Stars,” in which a celebrity is paired with a professional dancer and competes for votes from both a panel of judges and the audience. The Moses Lake edition, being a fundraiser for the CBCAA, added an extra avenue for voting: besides the single vote that came with admission, audience members could purchase additional votes for $5 each. 

Six local people spent an hour and a half every day for a week learning and practicing their dance moves, each partnered with a professional from the Utah Dance Company, Twigg said, preparing a 90-second dance routine for the show Saturday. Each pair made a short video that was shown before their performance introducing the local contestant and explaining why the audience should vote for them. The panel of judges consisted of Faith Hemmerling, who competed in last year’s event; Christian O’Shea and Emily Duvall. Duvall volunteered at the last minute, Twigg said, to stand in for Julie Johnson, who was unable to attend. 

The Moses Lake Children — Dance Stars warmed up the audience, and then the contestants were brought out and introduced. The first competitor was Danielle Boss, who had served as a judge last year. Boss was paired with Drew Innes for a cha-cha to the song “Daddy,” with Innes evolving from an old man slumped over a walker to a vigorous dancing partner as she danced around him. 

“What a performance,” O’Shea told Boss after the performance. “You left scorch marks across the floor.” 

Boss was followed by Dr. Morgan Fife, who did the foxtrot to “Walk Like a Man.”

“Emotionally, I’m excited,” Fife said in his pre-performance video. “Physically, I hurt right here and I hurt right there because I don’t lift my legs up sideways, never in my life, but now I do.” 

The doc got his moves on.  

“Let's just start off the elephant in the room,” Duvall said after his performance. “I've spent a lot of time watching your children on stage, and they're incredible, so I kind of had the bar set pretty high, and I really wanted to tear you apart with your amateur moves and whatnot, but ... it was divine. I see, where your children get their talent.”

Lacey Fitterer’s performance was a nightclub two-step to “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” to the whooping applause of many of her students in the audience. Fitterer, who teaches at Ballet Academy of Moses Lake, said in her video that ballroom dancing was new to her. 

“This week has been really hard on my feet,” she said. “You would think with dancing on my toes that it wouldn't be a problem, but now I'm dancing in heels and it's a completely different experience for them. It's been hard, but it's been amazing.” 

“This is your first time ballroom dancing?” Lowes asked her after the performance. 

“Yes, a week ago,” she replied. “It was sheer terror.” 

“And how do you feel now?” 

“Still terrified,” she said. 

Tyler Wallace, a math instructor at Big Bend Community College, hadn’t planned to perform, he said, but was sort of tricked into it. 

“I got an email from a colleague saying they needed to talk to me, and I thought I was in trouble,” he said. “She shows up in my office with no warning and says, ‘Hey, have you heard about this Dancing with the Stars thing?’” 

Wallace’s swing dance to “Surfin’ USA” involved more than just his partner Cassidy Watson; several men in 1960s-style swimsuits and a dancer in a shark costume rounded out his beach dancing experience. 

“I love a show, OK?” Duvall said after the performance. “I love a good animal costume, love a good theme, so it’s checking a lot of boxes for me, but I really could not stop fixating on the fact that I think you're not wearing socks.” 

“Who wears socks to the beach?” he responded. 

Dr. Logan Mims, a family medicine physician at Moses Lake Community Health, said in a video that the schedule had been a little challenging. 

“The most difficult part has been juggling work and rehearsal,” Mims said. “Yesterday I had to leave rehearsal to go catch a baby, and today I have somebody in labor, so I could get called away at any time.” 

Mims did a salsa dance to “La Isla Bonita,” filled with high kicks and wild spins in a shimmering red dress. 

“Coincidentally, I was going to wear that dress tonight,” Duvall said. “Thankfully for you, I didn’t, out of principle.” 

“That was sharp,” O’Shea said. “You two know how to cut a rug. You didn’t miss a stick. You look like a million dollars.” 

Amador Castro, a teacher at Vanguard Academy, was the final contestant. He did the merengue to “Viva Las Vegas” in an Elvis costume, complete with a cape and a wig on his usually shaven head. 

“They said … we have an outfit for you,” Castro said after the show. “But I actually purchased my own outfit because I said if I’m going to do this, I’m going to dress as Elvis more often.” 

“A lot of (my students) are here,” he added. “It’s going to be an interesting Monday.”

Dancers from the Utah Dance Company kept the audience entertained while the votes were counted, and when the contestants were assembled, the winner and runner-up were announced. Castro took second place, and Fitterer walked away with the coveted mirrored ball trophy, presented by last year’s champion Chuck Yarbro, Jr. 

“Out of all the things you've accomplished in your life, professional accomplishments, dance studio showcases, students moving into professional ranks, personal accomplishments, family, where will it rank in your life to be the 2025 Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars champion?” she was asked.  

“Definitely number one,” she said. 

    Tyler Wallace, center, gets his Beach Boys vibe on with dancers – and a shark – from the Utah Dance Company.
  

    Logan Mims performs a shimmering salsa at Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars Saturday.
  

    Amador Castro takes the stage with partner Cassidy Watson of the Utah Dance Company at Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars Saturday. Castro was the runner-up in the competition.
  

    Danielle Boss rejuvenates her “elderly” partner Drew Innes with a cha-cha.
  

    Morgan Fife, left, does an elegant foxtrot with Utah Dance Company partner Cassidy Watson at Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars Saturday.