6th Annual Dancing Stars of Greenwich – A Charity Dance-Off for Abilis

Get ready for an evening that brings the glamour and glitz of legendary dancer Fred Astaire to Greenwich! The sixth annual Dancing Stars of Greenwich charity dance-off, hosted by The Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Greenwich to benefit Abilis, showcases the thrill of the hit TV show Dancing with the Stars with a celebrity dance-off right in Greenwich, Connecticut, featuring local celebrities and professional dance performances by the Fred Astaire dancers. Dancing Stars of Greenwich is taking center stage on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at the Tamarack Country Club in Greenwich. Tickets to this fabulous event, full of incredible dancing, live music, a VIP champagne reception, silent auction, dinner, and celebrity judges, sell out quickly every year, so it is recommended to reserve a table today by calling 203-340-2760.

This year’s event features celebrity judge Brendan Fraser, a celebrated and award-winning actor, and is emceed by Ali Wentworth, actress, comedian, producer, host of her podcast Go Ask Ali and New York Times bestselling author.

Funds raised at the event this year will go toward the development and renovation of Abilis Gardens & Gifts, Abilis’ retail and garden center training site located in the Glenville section of Greenwich. Abilis Gardens & Gifts provides much needed retail job skills and training to adults with disabilities and helps provide meaningful employment opportunities. Abilis Gardens & Gifts is one of seven businesses owned and operated by Abilis, each playing a pivotal role in empowering individuals with disabilities to achieve greater independence and self-sufficiency. The support of Dancing Stars of Greenwich will directly impact the lives of individuals with disabilities by creating a vibrant new space where they can learn, grow, and thrive.

Dancers at the event include: Afton Fraser of Greenwich, Connecticut; Heather Rosenstein-Sarachek of Scarsdale, New York; Robin Arnold of New York City; Carly Samalin, age 15, of Greenwich, Connecticut, who won the Greenwich Dancing Stars dance competition and the People’s Choice Winner award in 2022; Isabelle Vanneck of Greenwich, Connecticut; Danny Clarke, an Abilis community member who lives in Greenwich, Connecticut; Sara Keller of Riverside (Greenwich), Connecticut; Shari Aser of Greenwich, Connecticut, who won last year’s Mirrorball trophy; Michela Bunn of Rye, New York, Anja Jancke-Souhr of New York, New York, and Elaine Madonna of Greenwich, Connecticut, who has participated for several years in a row and previously won the People’s Choice Award.

Each dancer is paired with a professional partner from The Fred Astaire Studio of Greenwich and include: Elmar Schmidt and Clemens Lengenfelder, co-owners of The Fred Astaire Studio of Greenwich, Matthew Ames, Carol Koutouvides, and Christian Perry.

Brendan and Afton Fraser have been long-time supporters of Abilis and Dancing Stars of Greenwich throughout the years and are once again co-hosting the event. They are also parents to a son with disabilities and know personally how crucial programs and supports like Abilis offers are to families with children and adults with disabilities.

To reserve tickets or donate by supporting the dancers, please visit greenwichdancingstars.com.

Abilis is a 501c3 non-profit organization that supports more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families from birth throughout their lives. Founded in 1951, Abilis is a leader in providing meaningful supports to the community in Fairfield County, Connecticut, in towns including Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford, Westport and Wilton. The organization has a long-standing reputation for individualized, high-quality care. For more information, visit www.abilis.us, or follow on Facebook @Abilis, Inc., Instagram @abilis_us or Twitter @Abilis.

Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Greenwich provides ballroom and Latin dance lessons to all ages and attracts participants from the Greenwich, Stamford, and New Canaan, Connecticut, areas, and Armonk, Harrison, White Plains, Port Chester, Rye, Mamaroneck, and Scarsdale, New York, areas. There is no partner or experience necessary to enjoy ballroom dance lessons. Fred Astaire Dance Studio has made it its personal mission to touch as many lives with a passion for ballroom dancing. The Fred Astaire Dance Studio is one of the happiest, friendliest spots in town due to the welcoming and encouraging staff and atmosphere. Fred Astaire’s mission is to enrich the lives of everyone and anyone with dance. The organization genuinely strives to make dance a daily practice in the dance studio. Fred Astaire doesn’t just teach someone how to dance, they invite them to become their personal best – in their dancing and in all areas of their life. Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Greenwich is co-owned by Elmar Schmidt and Clemens Lengenfelder, along with their wives Isabell Schmidt and Jessica Lengenfelder. To learn more, visit fredastaire.com/greenwich.