Notable locals to dance off for charity

Get your average, everyday community leader to salsa, tango and waltz in a public forum, and tickets sell.

That’s what happened when the Assistance League of Newport-Mesa decided to host its first-ever fundraiser, “Dancing for Tomorrow’s Stars.�

The competition, partnering Jim Doti, Charlene Prager, Wing Lam, Julia Argyros, Steve Meyers, Susan Adams and Jon Wampler with professional dancers, will take place Saturday night at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel in front of a full house of more than 530.

Many of the couples have been practicing for months, hoping to be the dancers who raise the most money for the Assistance League, an organization providing philanthropic programs for children in the Newport-Mesa area.

Each team will perform two dances of their choice, receiving points from judges Tom Johnson, Ruth Ko, Jeff Teller, Carol Wilken and Lynette Hayde.

With a $10 donation, the public can vote for their favorite male and female dancer in the community on the organization’s website.

The dancing team with the most votes at the conclusion of the event will receive a “Fan Favorite� trophy.

For more, call (949) 645-6929. To vote, go to www.alnm.org.

— Sue Thoensen