DANCING FOR THE STARS to Benefit CAA's Overture Awards
Inspired by Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for the Stars will feature six Cincinnati celebrities paired with some of the area’s finest professional dancers.
Who will be voted Cincinnati’s best celebrity dancer? Which stars have the right moves to rule the dance floor? Find out on Saturday, April 25, 2026, when the Cincinnati Arts Association celebrates Season Eighteen of its fundraiser Dancing for the Stars at the Music Hall Ballroom to benefit CAA’s Overture Awards – the nation’s largest locally-run high school arts scholarship competition – and arts education programs.
Inspired by the hit ABC-TV show Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for the Stars will feature six Cincinnati celebrities paired with some of the area’s finest professional dancers in a competition program at which the audience will vote for their favorite celebrity dancer. The competitive dance for the evening will be themed to the 1950s, and each dance pair will have a maximum of three minutes to woo the crowd and the judges.
In addition, Dancing for the Stars will feature:
Dance music by JD Hughes, guest DJ and 103.5 WGRR-FM on-air personality
Pre-event reception and whiskey tasting provided by Willow Run Custom Bourbon
Open dancing before and after the competition
Lite bites provided by some of Cincinnati’s finest restaurants and caterers
'In addition to the winner of the dance competition, Dancing for the Stars will crown a Fundraising Champion – the celebrity dancer who raises the most revenue toward the event’s fundraising goal through table/ticket sales and donations. Fans may add a donation under their favorite celebrity’s name at the time of ticket purchase or sponsorship, or by simply making a donation if they cannot attend the event. These direct donations will help one of the fans’ favorite celebrities win the Dancing for the Stars Fundraising Champion award – which will be announced on the evening of the event – and are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Tickets are currently on sale at the following levels (a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible):
$100 – Patron (pre-event reception and two drink tickets)
$150 – VIP (pre-event reception and open bar)
$1,000 – Patron Table (ten Patron level tickets)
$1,500 – VIP Table (ten Premium level tickets)
THE STARS:
Alex Beach (Director, Lifetime Engagements, Fidelity Investments)
Nicholas Dunigan (Associate Wealth Management Advisor, Fifth Third Bank)
Dr. Mona Foad (Founder & CEO, Mona Dermatology)
Felisa Insignares (Owner, Designer Items and More Boutique)
Meeka Owens (Cincinnati City Councilwoman)
Robert Warfel (Public Safety and Law Enforcement Executive)
THE PROS (with Star pairing):
James Branham (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – West Chester) – Felisa Insignares
Bonita Brockert (Independent Dance Instructor) – Alex Beach
Desiree Mainous (Owner, Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Montgomery) – Robert Warfel
Jozsef Parragh (Independent Dance Instructor) – Dr. Mona Foad
Alyenendrov Tsorokean (Phoenix Rising Ballroom) – Meeka Owens
Melissa Vaughn – (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Montgomery) – Nicholas Dunigan
THE HOSTS: Chris O’Brien and Janeen Coyle (Retired radio hosts – 103.5 WGRR-FM, Married with Microphones)
EVENT COMMITTEE: Doreen Beatrice, Douglas Beal, Terry Foster, Alex Johns, Ginger Loftin, Rosemary Schlachter
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Trials Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM Village, University of Cincinnati (10/22-10/22) |
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Ariel Quartet: Blueprints Robert J. Werner Recital Hall, CCM Village, University of Cincinnati (9/22-9/22) |
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The Children Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (1/30-2/21) |
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Star Wars X The Planets Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village, University of Cincinnati (4/06-4/06) |
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Holidays Around the World! Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village, University of Cincinnati (12/12-12/12) |
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Tuning Up Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village, University of Cincinnati (9/27-9/27) |
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Musical Theatre Senior Showcase Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM Village, University of Cincinnati (3/12-3/13) |
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Ariel Quartet: Hommage À Beethoven Robert J. Werner Recital Hall, CCM Village, University of Cincinnati (2/23-2/23) |
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Chamber Music: Grand Tradition Robert. J. Werner Recital Hall, CCM Village, University of Cincinnati (10/21-10/21) |
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Crossings Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village, University of Cincinnati (11/06-11/06) |
