HAMLET — This year’s Taste of the Sandhills Showcasing Dancing with the Stars benefiting Richmond County Hospice will take the Cole Auditorium audience back to the early 20th century circus at Coney Island, complete with myriad classic circus attractions and other new additions.
Nic Wilkes, creativity coordinator for Hospice, now in his fourth year running the event, said the development of the stage and world creation began with old pictures of circuses and “snowballed” into the towering paintings, stage props, costumes and other artifacts that will populate the show.
“It’s like you’re on the Coney Island Boardwalk and you’ve been invited to come join the fun,” Wilkes said. He added that with the benefit of several years under their belts, he and his team have ironed out mistakes and shortcomings to make it truly a “professional show.”
“We are really entertaining our guests this year.”
The event, sponsored by Mabry’s Drug and Home Care, sold out two months ago with 629 tickets sold, according to Kristina Leyden, CEO of Hospice. Leyden said this year’s Dancing with the Stars competitors are some of the best dancers they’ve ever had, and all 12 couples who committed followed through on the process. The dancers compete for the Hospice Choice Award, the People’s Choice Award and the Judge’s Choice Award.
For Hospice Choice, the couple must raise the most money in the months leading up to the event. For People’s Choice, they must receive the most votes from the audience during the performance Saturday, and for Judge’s Choice they must impress a panel of professional judges.
Leyden said she estimates the dancers have raised $50,000 going into the event.
“We’ve been watching (the dancers rehearse) all day and I think it’s going to be really hard to pick (who’s the best),” Leyden said Friday. “You can tell they’ve all been practicing.”
In total, about 110 volunteers collaborated to put on the event.
Prior to the dance competition, 19 local restaurants will compete for the best food in the region. New this year are two new awards in addition to the Tasty Award. There are four entrants for the International Award for the best international food and two entrants for the Sweet Treat Award for best dessert.
Also new this year is that during each intermission will have entertainment by dancers from Physical Awareness and Gymnastics Team and Bold Moves Dance Company, as well as other individual performers.
“The kids are really excited to perform and be a part of this great event,” said Holly Howe, owner of Bold Moves.
Terry Barret of Physical Awareness said Hospice took care of her mother as her health declined due to lung cancer.
“I’m all for anything we can do to help Richmond County Hospice,” Barret said.
Mayor Pro Tem John Hutchinson has two sons dancing in the intermission performances: 11-year-old John Patrick and 9-year-old Alex. Hutchinson and his wife, Sharon, won the dancing portion in 2011.
“We’re very thankful that we’re not dancing this year but very happy our boys are,” Hutchinson said.
