Shelby's Social Diary

Blood, sweat and blisters: Lynn Wyatt, Monsour Taghdisi & more gear up fordancing with the stars competition

Houston Ballet's Dawn Scannell and Monsour Taghdisi practice for their threeminutes in the dance spotlight.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
For the past two weeks, they've been rehearsing for an hour every day.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
Their seductive tango should have the audience on its feet with approval.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
A bit of ballet and a bit of ballroom combine for their exhausting routine.
Photo by Shelby Hodge

What began as a friendly competition between a handful of the city's leading personalities has evolved into a rivalry as heated as anything on ABC's Dancing With the Stars. It comes to a head Friday night in a glorious dance showdown at the home of John and Becca Cason Thrash.

For the last month and, in some cases, even longer, Lynn Wyatt, Diane Lokey Farb, Phoebe Tudor, Monsour Taghdisi and Pat Burk have been hard at it, honing their ballroom skills for "Dancing With the Houston Stars," a brilliant fundraising concept that is Becca's brainchild.

The five strong personalities are taking their three-minute routines very seriously. As a result, the rigorous training for the Houston Ballet benefit has resulted in bruises, blisters, sore muscles and at least one missing toenail.

With the back flips, the air tosses, overhead lifts, fringe, sequins and rhinestones, this is going to be one hell of a dance competition. (The women are all wearing glittery ballroom dance costumes — far removed from the Oscar de la Rentas and Valentinos that they are more accustomed to.)

On Friday, we dropped in on Taghdisi practicing the tango with his Houston Ballet alumn partner Dawn Scannell and witnessed their strenuous yet impressive dress rehearsal. Move over Bristol Palin! We doubt that the young Alaskan could match the complexity and precision that the Houston duo presented. Each of the competitors is dancing with a Houston Ballet veteran thereby creating a mix of classical ballet and ballroom spin.

Prior to this week, the contestants have been working out at the Houston Ballet Academy on West Gray. Today, they began rehearsing on the dance floor that tops the vast swimming pool in the Cason Thrash home. At week's end, the pool will be lined with dinner tables where guests will wine, dine, view the competition and vote on their favorite dancing duo.

Will it be Wyatt's cha-cha, Tudor's mambo or Farb's disco that takes home the trophy? Then again, the dashing Burk and the movie-star-handsome Taghdisi just might win the most votes. We hear that more than a few guests are counting on Burk's merengue with Kristine Richmond to wow the friendly judges.

Lester Smith, an international ballroom champion, was supposed to have been in the competition as well but shoulder surgery has sidelined the oilman/philanthropist.

It's a not-to-be-missed evening. Reservations available through Houston Ballet, 713-523-6300.

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Two-Stepping Bash

Country tunes and Houston's charitable hearts rock for Dec my Room

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Jacob Mansfield, Grace Ward, and Kendyl Mansfield.

A bustling crowd kicked open the doors of the House of Blues for the Eighth Annual "Kick Up Your Boots for Kids" bash, all in support of Dec My Room. The night was set ablaze by the toe-tapping tunes of country stars Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen, transforming the venue on October 24 into a jitterbug jamboree and creating an atmosphere brimming with joy.

Event chairs Laurel Bashaw and Dodi Willingham and founders Kendall Plank and Susan Plank were thrilled about how the extra funds will turbocharge their mission. Since 2007, Dec My Room has adorned nearly 18,000 hospital rooms across 178 institutions, delivering personalized coziness like a warm blanket to pediatric and young adult patients.

Emcee and auctioneer David Ackel kept the energy high as generous Houstonians vied for coveted treasures. Standouts included rare Pappy Van Winkle bourbon bottles and a glimmering necklace from Lugano. A wine and whiskey dinner hosted by Federal Grill’s Matt Brice saw bids skyrocket, leaving winners over the moon. The grand finale was a private management hunt at Sycamore Springs Ranch in Kerrville, Texas.

With over 250 attendees two-stepping and $350,000 raised, the event proved to be a night where generosity danced hand in hand with a rockin’ good time. In the crowd were Laurie and Tracy Krohn, Stacey and Al Lindseth, Mike Plank, Rachel and Tom Regan, Ericka Bagwell, Aimee and Wynne Snoots, Carley and Mike Stasney, Grace and Steven Ward, Monica and Jed Skeet, Marie and Joseph Flanigan, Jessica and Ryan Getz, Denise and Brett Mears, Kiki Wilson, Peggie and Kyle Pentecost.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Jacob Mansfield, Grace Ward, and Kendyl Mansfield.

dec my room fundraisers