The 17^th Dance Like The Stars Event is scheduled for July 30 at the BancorpSouth Arena.  

The event was first started in 2006 and nearly 160 community volunteers from Lee, Lafayette, Tippah, Chickasaw and Union counties have participated.  

Volunteers agree to learn a professional ballroom dance routine with a professional partner from Tupelo’s The Dance Studio, but more importantly, they agree to raise funding for BGCNMS.  

The dancer raising the most money is named the event Grand Champion. 

2022 Dancers Include:  Keith Storey representing Ripley, Shaletha Knox representing New Albany, and Mary Morgan Burks, Jessica Hollinger , Meagan Cherry,  Councilwoman Rosie Jones, Tommy Green, and Judge Anthony Rogers all representing Tupelo.

There will be a special performance by previous Judges Choice Winners – Nancy Maria Balach & Brady Bramlett of Oxford. 

The group of dancers has already raised $180,000 of its goal $215,000. Burks is well on her way to breaking the record of Rhonda Hanby who raised over $61,000 in 2012.  Burks fundraising currently totals over $59,000.

The Dance Studio of Tupelo is owned by Rubye Del Harden. Professional instructors include:  Tammy Wilson, Andrew Davis, Benjamin Pryor, and Sara Wood.