Kinston Community Council for the Arts is excited to announce the third annual Stars Dance For The Arts, hosted by Amy Whitfield and Wells Gulledge. This year’s event promises to be even more fabulous than last year. The 2015 stars event features eight superstar couples dancing their way into your hearts to generously raise funds for Kinston’s Community Council for the Arts. Each couple will perform an exciting and elegantly choreographed dance on Jan. 31 for a chance to become the 2015 champion of Stars Dance For The Arts. Each week, some of the eight dance couples will be featured here so you can get to know them a little better. Get your tickets now and start voting for your favorites. Visit www.dancekcca.com/ for additional details.
Stars Dance For The Arts will be held at the Arts Center (400 N. Queen Street, Kinston) on Saturday, Jan. 31. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be available by 6:30 p.m., and the dancers perform at 7:30 p.m.
Voting: From now through midnight Jan. 30, you’ll have the opportunity to vote for your favorite dance couple(s) as often as you’d like. Voting will also take place during the event on Jan. 31.
Tickets: There are three options for seating this year. All tickets include heavy hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, 1 vote during the event, and star-studded entertainment!
• Premium Reserved Front Row Seating: $100 (please call/visit the Arts Center)
• Premium Reserved Second Row Seating: $75 (please call/visit the Arts Center)
• General Admission Seating: $50 each (available online or by calling/visiting the Arts Center)
Kinston’s Community Council for the Arts (CCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Lenoir County residents experience the joy, promise, and pursuit of artistic excellence. In an effort to raise much-needed funding, staff and volunteers are organizing a fun, fabulous, FANTASTIC event which promises to promote the art of ballroom dance, unveil completely unexpected local dance talent, and bring the community together for a special night!
The couples include:
Billy Jarrell and Kelly Taylor
Jarrell was raised in Smithfield, Va., and now resides in Kinston with his wife Elaina, and three children. He is a 2001 graduate of Lincoln Technical Institute, and is employed with Robert Crowe Services as an Automotive and Heavy Equipment Mechanic. Jarrell reports being a “classic sports car enthusiast who enjoys bass fishing and long country drives.” He appreciates the wide open spaces of Lenoir County, the hospitality of the community, and that “there are plenty of places to catch a fish!” When asked why he chose to participate in Stars Dance for the Arts, he said he hopes to learn something new and to have a great time doing something he hasn’t done before.
A native of Snow Hill, Taylor now calls Kinston home along with her husband, Larry, and their three children. She graduated from North Carolina Wesleyan College with degrees in psychology and religion. Taylor now spends her days chasing and cleaning up after her 3-year-old twin boys while homeschooling her 6-year-old daughter Merryn. Taylor serves as the director of Children’s Ministry at Grace Fellowship Church, teaches yoga at the Woodmen Community Center, and tutors for the local Classical Conversations Homeschool Community. When she used to have spare time, Taylor enjoyed reading, camping, and family adventures; now every day is an adventure. Dancing since age the tender age of 3, Taylor is looking forward to partnering with Billy Jarrell and using her dance expertise to support CCA.
Jeremy Jones and Diana Hardy Hill
Jeremy Jones lives in Kinston with his wife, Carmon, and 2-year-old daughter. Aside from his academic years, Jeremy has always called Kinston home. He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and then received his master’s in Business Administration from East Carolina University. Jones currently serves as Vice President/Credit Analyst for the little bank. Jeremy is an avid tennis player and fisherman, but says he most enjoys spending time with his family and being an awesome dad to his daughter. He is also involved in the community and serves as a board member of the United Way of Lenoir & Greene Counties, as well as the Kinston Noon Rotary Club. Jones says he enjoys living in Lenoir County because “I just love being in a small community. You generally know a lot of folks and it’s easier to get involved and make a difference. It’s also a great place to raise a family away from the hustle and bustle of a larger town.” Jones is glad to participate in 2015 Stars Dance for the Arts. He said, “Lenoir County & Kinston have been good to me, so it’s a good thing for me to be able to give back a little bit.”
Diana Hardy Hill, a former Raleigh resident, lives in Lenoir County with her husband, Matthew Hill. She earned a master’s of accounting from North Carolina State University, and is a CPA with Sitterson and Company, P.A. Hill has had 12 years of training at Studio 86, Artistic Dance Academy, and Greenville Civic Ballet. During and after college she continued her training at several local studios in Raleigh and Kinston. Hill, recently married, enjoys spending time with her husband, Matthew. The couple also loves spending time with each of their two siblings and their families. When not working or spending time with family, Hill can be found dancing, practicing yoga, and reading. Hill appreciates the hospitality of the people of Lenoir County and having family close by. When asked why she chose to participate in Stars Dance for the Arts, Diana states, “I am looking forward to giving back to the community, meeting new people through this process, and sharing my love of dance with others.”
Sandy Shimer and Sarah Gaddis Crowe
Shimer is a life-long resident of Lenoir County, and lives in Kinston where he and his wife of 35 years raised their three sons. Shimer is employed as a territory manager for House Hasson Hardware Distributors. After graduating from Kinston High School in 1974, Sandy graduated from East Carolina University where he played on the ECU Golf Team. Shimer has lots of dance training through attending his three sons’ 12 years of dance recitals, college years spent on the dance floor of the Elbow Room in Greenville, and many nights on the hardwood floors of Kinston Country Club. In his free time, Shimer enjoys following the ECU Pirates, playing golf, and has a bit of a green thumb. In addition to gardening for the family, Shimer can be found selling fresh North Carolina Christmas trees and greenery during November and December on his Christmas tree lot, Shimer’s Select on Vernon Avenue. Shimer loves calling Kinston home and is looking forward to a great event and is “proud to be giving back to the CCA, which has giving so much to our community and my family.”
Crowe is a native of Kinston and a 1999 graduate of Kinston High School. She and her husband Bob are the parents of two children. Crowe is a Zumba instructor, pianist and photographer. She is a member of Spilman Baptist Church where she serves as church pianist and plays in the bell choir. Knitting and making “crazy crafts” with her boys are among her hobbies, but Sarah also enjoys camping, boating, fishing and watching action movies with her husband. Her husband and boys are her greatest joys in life but she is especially passionate about car rides with the windows down. Crowe took lessons in ballet, tap and jazz since childhood. It’s her dream to compete on the (yet uncreated) version of “Dancing with the Housewives.” She delights in passionate, fierce dances like the Tango, Paso Doble and the Flamenco.
To purchase your tickets and vote for your favorite dance teams: Call (252-527-2517), visit Kinston Community Council for the Arts, or visit www.dancekcca.com.