The Graduate Student Organization is sponsoring the latest reality show spin off, “Dancing with the Scholars,” to be held in Regents hall at 7 p.m. on April 3.
Just like in “Dancing with the Stars,” experienced dancers and non-experienced dancers will be paired up together in a contest to determine the best dancing duo.
Instead of celebrities, Northern Kentucky University professors will be accompanying the experienced student dancers in a one-night compilation of dance.
The opening number will combine all ten dancers in a group dance. From there the couples will split off and perform in pairs.
“The opening act is going to be quite a surprise, it’s a group dance and I think the audience will be very surprised with it,” said Tiffany Emerson, a communication graduate student and co-social chair of the Graduate Student Organization.
Once the five couples have performed their routine the judges will decide on the top three, who will then perform a second time before the winners are chosen.
Though they will receive trophies, no one will go home empty handed. All participants receive gift bags for their time and effort. The money raised from this event will go to the Communications Department.
According to Emerson, none of the dancing scholars have any formal dance training. But Michael Skaggs, a communications professor, is no stranger to showing off some fancy footwork on the dance floor.
Skaggs participated in “Bob Braun’s Teen Dance Party” on Channel 5 during the 60s and quite the dancer during the disco craze.
“It caught me by surprise,” Skaggs said. “Since, it’s a fund raiser for the Communications Department I felt that it was an excellent cause. Since I had not danced since the early 90s, it just seemed like a fun time to rekindle the fire.”
The ten professors and students will be judged by Jessica Bugg from Oxford, Ohio, NKU Theatre and Dance professor Charles Wells, and Mark Hardy, a former Broadway actor and dancer and an NKU Theatre and Dance professor.
The event is expected to last about two hours. Tickets will be available at the door and are $7 for students and $10 for anyone else.