Sarah Pearson moved to Cherry Hill in 1985. She attended Cherry Hill schools for her entire childhood and now has three sons who attend school in the district.
So when Pearson was first asked if she wanted to participate in Dancing with the Cherry Hill Stars in 2013, she couldn’t pass it up.
“It’s a very unique opportunity to bring in so many people that have a connection with the Cherry Hill Township and Cherry Hill Public Schools,” she said.
Pearson and 31 other dancers will take the stage at Cherry Hill High School West’s new auditorium on May 1 for the ninth annual Dancing with the Cherry Hill Stars. The event is a fundraiser for the Cherry Hill Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization using the funds it collects to fund programs, new learning materials and other educational enhancements for Cherry Hill Public Schools.
Dozens of dancers have participated in Dancing with the Cherry Hill Stars since its inception in 2008. The show itself is based off an episode of the ABC television show, “Dancing with the Stars.” A theme is selected each year. Each dancing couple creates a dance revolving around the theme and performs it at the show. The theme for 2016 is Enchanted.
Pearson said every element of the television show is emulated in Dancing with the Cherry Hill Stars, right down to the rehearsals.
“I like the lengthy rehearsal process,” Pearson said. “It’s not thrown together in two weeks.”
This year, Pearson is dancing with Jon Cohen, a long-time Cherry Hill resident and local real estate agent. The two were paired in the winter and began planning for their performance a couple months prior to the show.
“We would have an initial meeting and discuss what song we agreed on,” Pearson said. “It’s a big deal when you’re dancing to a song and making sure it’s a song you’re both excited about.”
Pearson is the owner of Cherry Hill Performing Arts Center and has a background in musical theater. Cohen also performed in theater when he attended Cherry Hill High School West. This is his first time performing in Dancing with the Cherry Hill Stars.
“I had an idea of what it was going to be,” Cohen said. “But I think it was more difficult in that I haven’t danced in a number of years.”
“Sarah’s great,” he added. “We rehearse in her studio. I tell her to be tough on me.”
Cohen joined the Cherry Hill Education Foundation board last year after he was looking for ways to get more involved in his community. Cohen lives in the Woodcrest neighborhood of Cherry Hill.
“I’ve always had love for the Cherry Hill schools,” Cohen said. “That’s why I talked to (Cherry Hill Education Foundation president Eleanor Stofman) about getting involved with the education foundation.”
Couples find time to rehearse between other work and family commitments. In the early stages of rehearsals, couples may only practice once a week. The number of practices increases in the weeks leading up to the show.
Some couples receive coaching prior to the show. That is the case this year for Melissa Benenfeld and her partner, Anthony Pascale. Benenfeld, a local chiropractor and Cherry Hill resident, is participating in Dancing with the Cherry Hill Stars for the first time this year.
“We have a professional dance teacher, Majorie Major from Happy Feet,” Benenfeld said. “She’s been great. We’ve practiced every week.”
Benenfeld is a big fan of the television show and was excited to learn Dancing with the Cherry Hill Stars was just as fun, even though there was a lot of hard work involved.
“We really had to take it section by section,” Benenfeld said about the dance. “It took weeks to learn the whole routine.”
Participating in the show goes beyond just dancing. The dancers themselves try to sell ads and get sponsors to donate toward the show. Pearson has sold ads to companies for placement in the show’s program. Cohen got a number of sponsors and donors through work connections and had voting for his team promoted on social media.
Benenfeld and Pascale came up with a unique way to raise money. They created an event called the Garden State Park 5K Run and Walk to raise money.
“It’s an incredible idea as a fundraiser,” Benenfeld said. “It’s a fun event that draws people.
Pearson believes anyone with a connection to Cherry Hill Public Schools should try to donate just a few dollars at the event.
“If you do have a connection with the Cherry Hill Public Schools, it’s so important to understand the things the foundation is doing for the schools,” she said.
Cohen said residents should try to donate to the foundation as it has a unique role in the school community.
“All of the money we raised goes directly to the teachers and the students,” he said. “There’s not many entities like that out there.”
A limited number of tickets were still on sale for the May 1 show, as of press time. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Those who do not attend the show can still donate to the foundation and vote for their favorite couple at www.cherryhilleducationfoundation.com.
