Star Heels serve others by dancing

UNC’s dance group Star Heels combines talent with community service by using their performances to raise money for charity.

The group has its annual Spring Showcase, the second of its major performances of the year, at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Great Hall of the Student Union.

Each year the Star Heels have two big performances, the Fall Charity Show and the Spring Showcase.

In addition to these two events, the group performs at numerous University functions and raises money for different charities.

“We really try to encompass the entire University experience with what we do,” said Helen Buchanan, Star Heels president.

“We dance at Relay for Life and Dance Marathon, but we also take off the dance sneakers and work at a food drive or work with Habitat for Humanity.”

The spring performance is a showcase of the members’ talents. The 39 members are completely responsible for the choreography and music choice of the performances.

Jessie Stellini, a senior and the historian for the Star Heels, is choreographing the opening number to the show this year.

“I really like choreographing because it’s an opportunity to use my own personal style and share it with the dancers in the group,” Stellini said.

Sunday’s performance will include modern, jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop and lyrical numbers.

Dancers signed up to perform in different pieces, and graduating seniors had preference for the most popular pieces.

Because the Star Heels want everyone to be involved in the show, this performance will include more pieces than the fall showcase did. There also will be a special performance by the senior dancers.

The goal of this performance is to exhibit the talent of each of the members of the Star Heels. The fall show also displays their skill but also focuses on raising money for charity.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the Fall Charity Show are donated to a charity of the Star Heels’ choice.

The upcoming Spring Talent Showcase will serve to clear the account for the Star Heels, guaranteeing that the fall 2010 performance can yet again donate all of the proceeds to a charity.

“Each year the charity changes, but last fall we were able to donate over $2,500 to the Carolina Annual Fund,” Buchanan said.

Organizers said the dance group thought the worsening economy soured the budget of the university and caused many of the budget cuts. This is what led them to choose the Carolina Annual Fund as the 2009 Fall Charity Show recipient.

“The University had given so much to us both as a group and as individuals, and we really felt that we needed to give something back,” Buchanan said.

Tickets for Sunday’s show can be purchased from a Star Heels member on campus for $4 or at the door for $6.



Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.