Mayor Hancock headlines for Cleo Parker Robinson’s Dancing With the Stars

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock will be stepping out with a fancy footstep or two as one of the participants of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance troupe’s 45^th Anniversary celebration with its sixth annual anniversary gala “Dancing With the Denver Stars” on Aug. 29.

This year’s event will be held at the Marriott City Center Hotel at 1701 California St. The past six years this black-tie event has put a local spin on the Emmy-winning television program as Cleo Parker Robinson’s professional dancers match up with local political, business and community leaders who will perform diverse dance routines to various styles of music from past and present.

Sponsored by Walmart, Xcel Energy, Cigna, MillerCoors and CenturyLink the gala will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. followed by dinner and the dance performances, as well as the comedy of Shed G and the music of The Isaac Points Jakarta Band.  Additional sponsors include Gala Honorary Chair Pat Cortez. Gala Co-Chairs are Tim Davis, Susan France, Hal Logan, Jim Kaiser and Tina Walls. Gwen Brewer will serve as this year’s event chair.  Proceeds from this annual fundraiser support the educational programs and scholarships that benefit 75 percent of the students of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance as well as the surrounding Denver communities.

“It is a remarkable milestone that the CPRD has been in existence for four and a half decades,” said Cleo Parker Robinson, CPRD’s founder and artistic director. “Our 45th anniversary is a remarkable milestone and we are honored to be a viable, cultural institution and a pillar of the community. We are especially proud of our arts-in-education programs that served 34 schools in six metro Denver counties and impacted more than 15,000 students last year. And I want to thank our Denver Stars for helping us raise funds so we can expand our education programming to the Front Range by participating in our Sixth Annual Dancing with the Denver Stars gal.”

In addition to Mayor Hancock, individuals who will be performing in the “Dancing with the Denver Stars” event include:

• Michael Sawaya, managing senior partner, Sawaya Law Firm
• Kim Bimestefer, president and general manager, Cigna
• Colorado Rep. Crisanta Duran
• Donna Baros, credits benefits officer, PERA
• Wy Livingston, president and chief executive officer, Wystone’s World Teas
• Isaiah Salazar, owner Central Bistro & Bar
• Jen Wozniak, director of strategic communications, Xcel Energy
• Gloria Schoch, community commerce and partnerships management, MillerCoors
• Dr. Chris Hill, senior pastor, Potter’s House Denver
• Justin Cooper, vp & general manager GE Johnson Construction
• Dee Wisor, attorney, Butler Snow

For tickets, go to www.cleoparkerdance.org/#!events/biwbo.