BALLROOM DANCE COMPETITION Kravis' 19th Annual Reach For The Stars

(Judges Mia Matthews, Jo Ann Pflug and Steven Caras with Mistress of Ceremonies Liz Quirantes--Photo By Corby Kaye's Studio Palm Beach)

West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio & Eight Local Media Celebrities Will Put Their Best Feet Forward for Ballroom Dance Competition at the Kravis Center – April 28

Fundraiser for Kravis Center's S*T*A*R Series Will Include Gourmet Food & Fine Wine

South Florida's most celebrated ballroom dance competition is returning on Saturday, April 28, when the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts presents the 19th annual Reach for the Stars. The annual fundraiser, hosted by the Young Friends of the Kravis Center, benefits the Kravis Center's S*T*A*R (Students and Teachers Arts Resource) Series and education programs.

The evening's twinkle-toe match-up will feature nine local celebrity dancers vying to be this year's winner:

+ Tim Byrd ~ Palm Beach Live Work Play

+ Shaun M. Castillo ~ The Sun-Sentinel

+ Michael Ehrenberg ~ CBS12 News

+ Erin Guy ~ Anchor/Reporter WPBF 25 News

+ Jeremy Loper ~ "Loper & Randi Show"

+ Jeri Muoio ~ Mayor of West Palm Beach

+ Kait Parker ~ Meteorologist News Channel 5 / Fox 29

+ Jennifer Ross ~ Co-host of the 97.9 WRMF Morning Show

+ T.A. Walker ~ "The Mo & Sally Morning Show" on KOOL 105.5 FM

The competing celebrities will be paired with some of South Florida's top professional dancers, including Noemi Aguilar and Angelo Caruso from Caruso Dancesport, Sandra Caruso from The Palazzo Ballroom, Greg Kranz from The Paramount Ballroom, Eric Ocando, the owner of Dance All Night, Deirdre Radler from Ballroom Dance Florida, Sandra Ranger from IndepenDANCE, and Jacqueline Rodriguez and Clifton Sepulveda from Fred Astaire Dance Studio.

The judges for the upcoming Reach for the Stars ballroom dance competition will be Steven Caras, former NYC Ballet Dancer, photographer, keynote speaker and the subject of an all new Public Television documentary airing nationwide through 2014; former actress, singer and classically trained dancer Mia Matthews; and actress and broadcast personality Jo Ann Pflug (M.A.S.H., The Fall Guy, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.)

The event will also include the auction of Melina Shihadch's digital image, the winning piece of art from the Reach for the Stars Commemorative Art Contest. The artwork is a beautiful image of two dancers silhouetted in front of a magical Kravis Center surrounded by clouds and stars. Melina is a 16-year-old senior from South Tech Academy in Boynton Beach. The theme of the contest was The Magic of Dance and was sponsored by the Suzanne G. Reis Arts Education Fund.

Guests will begin the evening at 6 p.m. in Dreyfoos Hall for the ballroom dance competition. Following the presentation of the coveted mirror ball trophies, attendees will have plenty of fuel for the festivities, with a tasting of gourmet food and wine from numerous local restaurants and vendors, as well as a dance floor all their own.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $60 for Young Friends of the Kravis Center, $75 for General Admission and $125 for Premium tickets, which includes onstage assigned seating for the dance competition and valet parking. For tickets, please call 561-832-7469 or 800-572-8471 or visit www.kravis.org/reachforthestars.

Marcie Gorman-Althof, Sydelle and Arthur I. Meyer Foundation and Jane M. Mitchell are Gold Sponsors of this year's Reach for the Stars ballroom dance competition, and the Sun-Sentinel is a Silver Sponsor.

The Young Friends of the Kravis Center is a giving group of young professionals, 25ish to 49ish, committed to supporting arts and culture in Palm Beach County. The Young Friends organize events throughout the year to support education programs which enable the children of our community to be exposed to the arts. There are many benefits to becoming a member of the Young Friends, including discounts to the popular Reach for the Stars "Dancing for the Stars" Ballroom Dance Competition. For more information, call 561-651-4429.

The Kravis Center is located at 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, FL. For more information visit their website www.kravis.org.

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