Stars Align for Dance Division Fundraiser Dancing with the Stars: Berklee Edition raises more than $37,000 in dance scholarship funds.
By
Sarah Godcher Murphy
January 27, 2022
Stefanie Henning and Gianni Di Marco, winners of this years mirror ball trophy
Image by Mike Spencer
Tonya Butler (center), winner of the audience choice award
Image by Mike Spencer
It took a year longer than anticipated, but Dancing with the Stars: Berklee Edition made a rousing return to campus in January 2022, after a pandemic-related delay. The popular fundraising event featured many of Berklee's most beloved personalities competing live before a panel of judges. This year's event raised more than $37,000 for the Dance Division Faculty Award, which provides assistance to dance students of high academic standing who are struggling financially.
We weren't even done with the curtain call on our inaugural event in 2020 when we started dreaming up this one, said Mila Thigpen, chair of the Dance Division. Due to social distancing requirements, the event could not be held in 2021. But organizers were able to make a go of it this year, with all participants masked and the entire event broadcast live on the college's website.
Eight brave contestants, each with little to no dance training, performed routines that were choreographed and coached by dance faculty members. The performances were judged both kindly and comedically by Dr. Lacretia Johnson Flash, vice president of diversity and inclusion; Rob Lagueux, associate vice president for academic affairs; and Cathy Young, senior vice president and executive director of Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Emcees Andy Chau, director of career engagement, and Linda Embardo, technology training and communications manager, kept the event-and the one-liners-flowing.
Rosemary Dowling, director of campus life, kicked off the show in a top hat and tails, tap dancing to Puttin' on the Ritz alongside a trio of student dancers and coach Denise Pons, professor of dance. Dowling, who'd never so much as worn tap shoes before, mastered the routine in less than a week. Judge Young praised Dowling's great sense of wit and Fred Astaire-like cool.
My favorite part of doing what I do is sharing the love of movement.
-Kurt Douglas B.F.A. '01, associate professor of dance
Damien Bracken, dean of admissions, danced to his original song Don't Stop Now in true classic-rock style with sweeping arm gestures and fist pumps. Like a front man playing to a packed arena, Bracken led an ensemble of four other dancers, including his coach, Margaret Falcone B.F.A. '19, Dance Division administrative coordinator.
In her critique, Young told Bracken, I understand, now, how year after year we bring the most wonderful, greatest students in the world to this school. It's your passion. It's your commitment. It's your energy.
Playing the role of snarky judge, Lagueux added: I think you did a great job not obstructing my view of the other dancers.
Candice Brown, associate professor of theater, performed to Reclaiming My Time with languorousness and sensuality, according to judge Young. Her coach, Kurt Douglas B.F.A. '01, associate professor of dance, told viewers how much he enjoyed working with Brown. My favorite part of doing what I do is sharing the love of movement, he said.
Debbie Cavalier and Brian McGinnis
Image by Mike Spencer
Dr. Jonathan Bailey Holland, chair of composition, contemporary music, and core studies, performed with his coach and choreographer, Francois Noel, assistant professor of dance. The duo danced to Old School Mash-Up, a tune that merged James Brown with Run-D.M.C., culminating in a Kid 'n Play-style kickstep.
Flash praised Holland's commitment to the character-driven performance. You invited us into your world, and that world is filled with coolness incarnate, she said. Lagueux shared her enthusiasm. I haven't seen a transformation like that since Bangkok Thai restaurant became a COVID testing site, he quipped.
But the biggest transformation was yet to come, when Debbie Cavalier, senior vice president of online learning and continuing education, took to the stage with her partner, Brian McGinnis, associate professor of dance. A Grammy-nominated performer of children's music, Cavalier somehow shed that persona and channeled her inner Joan Jett, clad in biker's leather and sporting a formidable black wig.
You truly inhabited this completely different character-one that, frankly, I'd like to see in meetings more often, Lagueux told her.
Roya Hu, senior director of faculty development, danced a Back to School medley with her partner and coach, Ruka Hatua-Saar White, assistant professor of dance. Dressed like a pair of nerdy middle-schoolers, they performed an energetic routine that received a nearly perfect score from the judges for big, physical risk taking.
Roya Hu and Ruka Hatua-Saar White
Image by Mike Spencer
There was a moment where I thought you were dancing a little harder than your partner, Flash told Hu. You definitely were trying to school somebody.
The coveted mirror ball trophy was awarded to Stefanie Henning, associate vice president of career and digital strategy, and her partner Gianni Di Marco, professor of dance. The pair shimmied and swung through a 1960s-style routine, looking absolutely fabulous together, according to Young, who added, There was a lot of precision in what you did, which was really beautiful rhythmically and also physically.
The audience choice award went to Tonya Butler, chair of the Music Business/Management Department, for a take-no-prisoners routine set to I've Got to Use My Imagination by Gladys Knight and the Pips, incorporating elements of classic soul and disco. Jim Viera, associate professor
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
Stars Align for Dance Division Fundraiser Dancing with the Stars: Berklee Edition raises more than $37,000 in dance scholarship funds.
