West Texas stars dance for a cause

Local celebrities from around Odessa and Midland have agreed to get up and dance in front of hundreds of people—not for any mere prize, but to raise money for a cause.

The fourth annual Dancing with West Texas Stars event will feature 10 local ‘stars’ paired with dance instructors who are raising money for the Crisis Center of West Texas, to be used for keeping their women’s shelter open, child care and case work. Whichever dance duo raises the most money for the event will receive a big mirror ball trophy as well.

“It has grown every year and we’re usually sold out,” Crisis Center of West Texas Executive Director Karen Hildebrand said. “It’s really fun. The people who attend love watching the stars perform and we have such great support from local dance studios.”

The dance instructors will be coming from Elegance Ballrooms, Love To Dance Studio and West Texas Salseros. Each pair will be performing a different style of dance, which could be anything from a salsa, to a waltz, to hip-hop.

Along with the mirror ball trophy, awards will also be presented for best male dancer, best female dancer, best costume and most entertaining.

In the meantime, each participant will raise money for the crisis center a dollar at a time. Anyone can go online to ccwtx.org/dwwts to vote for one of the participants by giving a donation of any amount. Tickets for the event are going for $150 this year, and tables are available at prices between $1,500 and $10,000.

As of Wednesday, $88,878.91 had been raised toward the event’s $300,000 goal.

One of the participants this year is Derrick Bush, a lifelong Odessan who owns Keith’s Hamburger Station, 4324 Andrews Highway, and Texas Soul Café, 8200 E. Texas 191.

Bush said he decided to get in on the action after Hildebrand approached him with one spot left. He said this was particularly close to him, as he was a victim of child abuse himself.

“I want to help raise money to help prevent negative patterns in the community,” Bush said. “We’ll just add this to my list of things to accomplish in 2018.”

Though he has never really danced, he said, he and his partner, Beatriz Gonzales, will be performing a rumba at the event.

The event kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at the MCM Grande Hotel and FUNDom, 6201 E. Business I-20, and tickets can be purchased online at www.ccwtx.org/dwwts/.

Derrick Bush, right, practices dance steps with Beatriz Gonzales during a rehearsal Wednesday afternoon at Crossroads Fellowship. Bush is one of the contestants in Dancing with West Texas Stars to benefit the Crisis Center of West Texas.

BY MARK STERKEL
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