For several years, our studios have participated in a local version of Dancing With the Stars that benefits the Fields Corner Main Street historic commercial district.  Each year, several Arthur Murray dance instructors pair up with local celebrities to compete in the show.  They practice for several weeks beforehand and then hit the stage with a choreographed dance.  This year, the event was held on June 18.  Dancing from our Boston area studios were Christine McCarthy, Carol Lanzillo, Victoria Roark,  Stanislav Ivanov, Tom Butler, and Kato Paul.

Vietnamese Small Business Association of Boston President and owner of Vinna Auto Sales & Service Toan “Vinnie” Than and his partner Christine McCarthy from Arthur Murray’s Boston studio were this year’s winners.  They danced a tango that wowed the audience.

The local celebrities who danced were WCVB-TV Channel 5 meteorologist J.C. Monahan, former “Mayor of Dorchester” the Galvin Group’s Craig Galvin, Home for Little Wanderers’ Joan Wallace-Benjamin who danced with her husband Milton Benjamin from Initiative for a New Economy, Healthworks at Codman Square’s and The Biggest Loser contestant Andrea Baptiste, Miss Massachusetts USA 2009 Alison Cronin and local star comedian Corey Manning. 

The event was hosted by WCVB-TV Channel 5’s Karen Holmes Ward and David Brown.  Celebrity judges included former Boston Celtics star JoJo White, Improper Bostonian columnist Jonathan Soroff, El Mundo’s Editor in Chief Alberto Vasallo III and last year’s winner Mary Truony from Caritas Carney Hospital. 

For pictures of the event, visit Mike Ritter’s website.  Mike donated his time to take great photos of the evening.