Locals compete in Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars

MOSES LAKE — Volunteer firefighter Brian McGowan took home the coveted mirrored ball trophy at Saturday night’s Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars. 

“This has been a life goal,” McGowan said. “Definitely, since I was a little kid, this has been a dream of mine.” 

This is the third year that Moses Lake residents have pitted their footwork against each other in the amateur dance competition, raising funds for the Central Basin Community Concert Association. Six contestants paired for a week with professional dancers from the Utah Dance Company in preparation, then burst onto the stage Saturday with costumes and fancy footwork. Points were awarded by a panel of three judges – Christian O’Shea, Julie Annable and Amador Castro – as well as through voting from the audience.  

All of the music this year was taken from classic TV show theme songs. McGowan’s winning performance was a merengue to the theme from “The Love Boat.” 

“Back when I was a kid, my mom and dad would have (‘The Love Boat’) turned on, and that would be one of the family shows we would watch every week,” McGowan said in a video before his performance. He danced in a captain’s uniform with professional partner Delia Mandic. O’Shea, the first judge to weigh in, gave him an eight out of 10. 

“It takes a lot of courage to get up here and do what you did,” Annable said. “I’m going to give you eight.” 

Castro wasn’t as impressed.  

“I respect what you do as a firefighter,” Castro said. “I love that for you. But I need to see more hips, I needed to see fingers, and you just didn’t deliver that.”  

Castro gave him a six, which he upped to a seven after McGowan handed him a prop bag of cash. 

Joy Howard, a personal trainer and health coach, danced a foxtrot to the theme from “The Pink Panther” with partner Bannon Shinsel-Framk. 

“I could be, for all of these dancers, their mother or grandmother,” Howard said. “I want to prove that no matter how old you get, you can be healthy, you can be fit and you can take challenges.” 

James Shank, a financial advisor with Edward Jones, did the jitterbug to the theme from “Happy Days,” clad in a leather jacket, biker boots and shades. His partner was Mandic. 

“I’m nervous for this performance,” Shank said in his video. “Because I have an amazing teacher and I don’t want to make her look like an idiot.” 

“I understand you used to be a PE teacher,” O’Shea said after Shank had finished. “Fast and nimble. What happened to you?”  

Annable was a little kinder. 

“Your moves did show a first-time investor feel,” she said. “However, you are my financial advisor and watching you is so much fun … I’m going to give you a nine.” 

Shank raised the largest amount of money for the CBCCA through donations before the event, announcer Mark Lowes said. 

“I’m just glad to be a participant and raise a little money for the community concerts,” Shank said. 

Heather Mason, owner of Mason’s Coffee, did the cha-cha with Shinsel-Frank to the theme from Charlie’s Angels, dressed in shiny silver. 

“I used to love watching ‘Charlie’s Angels' and 'Wonder Woman,’” Mason said. “They were both my heroes growing up.” 

Annable was especially impressed. 

“I think every bachelor out there is going, ‘What crime can I commit right now?’” she said.  

Moses Lake Police Sgt. Adam Munro did a tango with Mandic to the theme from “The A-Team.” 

“Your moves were amazing,” Castro said when Munro was done. “Phenomenal. I pity the fool who ever tries to take a shot at you again.” 

Altogether, the judges gave Munro 26 points. 

“That’s 20 more points than I expected,” he said. 

The final contestant was Emily Duvall, who did a swing dance to the theme from “Friends.” Her pre-performance video was straightforward. 

“Put your loyalties aside, my friends,” Duval said. “It doesn’t matter how much money James Shank has saved you. It doesn’t matter if Brian’s put your house out if it was on fire. It doesn’t matter if Heather served you the best cup of coffee. It doesn’t matter if Joy’s put years on your life because of her fitness program. And I know Adam is like Spider-Man out there keeping us safe at night. But if you want to do what’s right, you will vote for the best dancer. And – spoiler alert – that’s me.” 

However, the specter of last year’s Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars reared its head. Duvall and O’Shea had both served as judges in 2025, and Castro had danced. 

“I remember last year being in your position, and I remember what it felt like to get that number from you,” Castro said, giving Duvall a five. 

O’Shea also had a bone to pick with Duvall, he said. 

“Miss Emily, the dancing queen,” he said. “Last year, when you were a fellow judge, and I gave a low score, you kicked me under the table. I should have been wearing my dungarees.” 

A short intermission followed the performances, and then the Utah Dance Company performed while the votes were tabulated. The amount of money raised wasn’t available right away, but it was announced that Shank had brought in the most donations. 

“I’m just glad to be able to be a participant and raise a little money for the community concerts,” he said. 

    Adam Munro tangos with Delia Mandic to the theme music from “The A Team” at Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars. Munro was the runner-up for the evening.
  

    Joy Howard does a graceful foxtrot with Bannon Shinsel-Frank at Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars.
  

    James Shank does the jitterbug to the “Happy Days” theme song, complete with Fonzie jacket and an ab shirt borrowed from 2024 Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars winner Chuck Yarbro Jr.
  

    Heather Mason gets in touch with her inner glamorous crime fighter in a cha-cha to the “Charlie’s Angels” theme.
  

    Emily Duvall swing dances to the “Friends” theme at Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars Saturday.