By Chris Basinger, Staff Writer
TRUSSVILLE–Around 120 youth dancers took the stage Saturday night at the 7th Annual Dancers Against Cancer Trussville Gala, helping raise $32,000 for the fight against cancer.
All proceeds from this year’s gala will be donated to I’m a Dancer Against Cancer, UAB Neuro-Oncology, and local families battling cancer, according to organizer Emily Lombardo.
“It was a great night for young and old, all in the name of coming together as a community to raise money for those battling cancer and for cancer research,” Lombardo wrote.
650 community members attended the sold-out event to see dancers from Miss Kelley’s School of Dance, Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, and the HTHS Highsteppers showcase their talent to the community.
This year’s “Crowd Favorite” was the Miss Kelley’s aged 5-7 class dancers’ performance of “Pink” choreographed and taught by Emily Adkins and Tiffany Bridges.
Following the youth dancers’ performances, the “dance dads” put on a show of their own to “Supermodel” which garnered rave reviews.
The gala also featured speakers including Keisha Limbaugh, a cancer caregiver, Lori Mills, a breast cancer survivor, and Gracie Bramblette, the artistic vice president of Dancers Against Cancer Trussville.
Along with receiving donations, the group auctioned off beach condos, hotel stays, diamond earrings from Agnew Jewelers, Husky seats for Hewitt-Trussville High School football games, a night on the Accent Limo party bus, photography sessions, and many more items from local businesses, according to Lombardo.
Trussville City Council Member Alan Taylor, who emceed the event, said, “The night was all about community.”