Former state senator Ember Reichgott Junge and Dancers Studio dance instructor Chris Kempainen were thrilled to be named champions of Let's Dance 2011, a celebrity dance competition with an important mission.
Held on November 12th at the St. Paul Hotel, the competition benefited CornerHouse, a nonprofit that protects children, teens, and vulnerable adults from physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
The competition results were based half on the purchase of votes before and during the event, and half on dance scores. The dance instructors present each donated fifteen hours of dance instruction to get their celebrity students in competitive shape.
Deanne Michael of Beyond Ballroom Dance Company served as the professional dance judge along with judges Jason Matheson of Fox 9 Morning News and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.
Competitors included:
- Ember and Chris;
- Fox 9 Medical Expert Dr. Archelle Georgiou with Four Seasons Dance Studio Instructor Bruce Abas;
- KS95‘s Dez with Tropical Ballroom’s James Wood;
- KSTP Meteorologist Patrick Hammer with Tricia Wood of Tropical Ballroom;
- Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek with Katie Ressie of Dancers Studio;
- Dorsey & Whitney Law Firm Attorney Tom Tinkham with Dancers Studio’s Maria LaNave-Johnson.
The successful CornerHouse event was sold out, netting over $73,000 to help children and others voice their stories of abuse and hold perpetrators accountable.
