Dancing the Night Away at the Highlands Annual Dancing with Our Stars Event
By: Sasha Bush
The Greater Ashland Beacon
WOW! What a night it was Saturday, Feb. 4 as the Tristate gathered at the Boyd County Community Center and danced the night away for a good cause. So, what do museums, dancing, and mirror ball trophies have in common? It can only mean one thing… it’s time for the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center’s annual Dancing with Our Stars (DWOS) fundraising event. DWOS is easily the most anticipated event of the year, and nobody puts on a fundraising event quite like the Highlands Museum. This event is the brainchild of retired Executive Director, Carol Allen and is considered the museum’s most popular and important event year after year. The event features local celebrities pairing up and putting on a dance routine together in a collective effort to raise the most funds for the Highlands Museum. In addition to raising funds for the museum, the contestants look forward to a little friendly competition among friends to see who will walk away with that coveted mirror ball trophy. All funds that are generated by the Dancing with Our Stars event help to support the museum’s yearly operating budget.
This year’s DWOS event was certainly one to remember as eight couples took to the iconic checkerboard dance floor in hopes that they would walk away with that big- beautiful mirror ball trophy in all its glistening glory. This year’s couples certainly put on a show, and it was clear that all eight couples came to compete. Each of the eight couples had dedicated months of hard work, dedication, and practice to perfect their own unique performances. Here is a quick rundown of the eight couples who competed in this year’s DWOS…
Couple #1- Erin Quillen & Hunter Scott
Couple #2- Dustin Howard & Ashton Young
Couple #3- Travis Williams & Sarah Williams
Couple #4- Matthew Pierzala & Karen Pierzala
Couple #5- Josh Blanton & Cesiah Blanton
Couple #6- Andrew Steele & Scott Murphy
Couple #7- Justin Evans & Jason Rooper
Couple #8- Faith Fountain & Lauren Moore
During the 2019 DWOS event the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center announced the Clark Family Discovery Center would be their next project to complete. This state-of-the-art addition to the Highlands Museum will be located on the second floor and will feature 14 interactive exhibits, two interactive classrooms and a small theater. The Clark Family Discovery Center hopes to hold its grand opening ceremony sometime in Sept. of this year. Without fundraising events such as DWOS, the completion of this project would have not been made possible.
Without further ado, I present to you the winners of the 2023 Highlands Museum and Discover Center’s Ninth Annual DWOS.
Best Video went to couple No. 3- Travis Williams, a chain saw artist and employee of Marathon Petroleum with quite an impressive following on social media and his wife Sarah Williams, owner of the Feathered Razor Salon and Barbershop located in Flatwoods Kentucky. The Williams’ video was delightfully humorous and an obvious cut about all the rest. The video featured a complete role reversal between the William’s professions and tied well with their choice of costumes.
The Judges Choice Award went to couple No. 2- Dustin Howard and Ashton Young. Dustin is a business owner, barber, and a former University of Kentucky Cheerleader. His dance partner Ashton is Speech-Language Pathologist at Pathways Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Together this power couple put on a show that was both energetic and explosive. It was as if I as watching an MTV music video being made before my very eyes.
Couple No. 1 consisted of Erin Quillen, cosmetic injector and business partner at the luxurious Nest Day Spa and Aesthetic Center, located in Russel KY and her dance partner Hunter Scott, who is a legend in his own time. Hunter is the assistant coach of the 16x UCA National Champion Greenup County High School Cheerleaders, instructor at Pride Athletics, and a cheer world champion himself. Together this dynamic duo put on a show that really made everyone flip out and snagged the third-place mirror ball trophy. Their performance was full of positive energy and an impressive array of gymnastics.
The second-place mirror ball trophy and Best Costume award went couple No. 5. This husband-and-wife couple consisted of the Plant Manager of Vesuvius and Ashland City Commissioner, Josh Blanton, alongside his wife Cesiah Blanton. Cesiah currently works as an intern board certified behavioral analyst, KDMC translator, and is a part of several organizations. She is the only therapist in the tristate region who provides services in Spanish. The second the Blanton’s took to the dance floor, everyone knew that they were in for a show. The Blanton’s performance was full of chemistry and made the audience instantly feel as if they were watching a scene from the popular Netflix TV show, The Bridgerton’s. While their performance was a total success on both Blanton’s parts, it was Cesiah who truly stole the show with her stunning choice of costume that was both whimsical and elegant.
The coveted first place mirror ball trophy and the People’s Choice award went to couple No.7 - Justin Evans and Jason Rooper. Evans currently serves as Chief Information Officer at Members Choice Credit Union and is the owner of Small Batch Bourbon Art. Rooper moved to Ashland after his enlistment in the military and is the owner of Brother’s Keeper Safety. These two put on quite a show that left the audience wanting more. Not only did they dominate the dance floor, but their creative use of storytelling really kept the audience on the edge of their seats. From costume changes to trying to pick up chicks, these two did not disappoint. It’s no surprise that they walked away with the first-place mirror ball trophy and the People’s Choice Award.
