On the latest episode of Good Day Clermont!, host Bob Pautke met with contestants from the Dance With Your Heart competition and charity gala. Angie Luck, Jeff Williamson, and Karen Cahall are local ‘celebrities’ in Clermont County, training to perform at the Newport Syndicate on November 7 alongside professional dancers.
Dance With Your Heart Inc. pairs local celebrities and dance instructors for a ‘Dancing With the Stars’ style competition, raising funds for several regional foundations. Each year, contestants must choose music to complement a specific theme. The 2026 theme is Boots & Bling, a country-inspired performance.
Angie Luck, Karen Cahall, and Jeff Williamson.
“I’ve been dancing my whole life for fun,” Karen Cahall told Good Day Clermont! She serves as President of the Rainbow Classroom Fund, a statewide nonprofit that organizes educated advocates and provides legal and financial resources for LGBTQ+ students and schools.
Cahall said that education and the rights of LGBTQ+ students in Ohio are at stake in the present day. Her participation in this charity gala signals forward-facing support for modern civil rights issues.
Contestants have the privilege of picking their own music for the event. Although Cahall is keeping her choice a secret until the performance, she said it aligned with her mission to support youth: “My charity is super close to my heart… so I wanted it to be a song that matches the mood and theme of my charity.”
Angie Luck is a kindergarten teacher and another Clermont resident competing this November. Like the other contestants, Luck said she had some brief experience dancing in high school and was excited to be part of such an impactful event.
Image by Dance With Your Heart Inc
Jeff Williamson attended the gala as a spectator in the past. He said he ‘was honored’ to have someone from the gala ask him to join this year’s dance. Williamson will represent NXTStep Vets, an organization built on networking and supporting United States veterans, distributing money back into community resources. He said he began contributing to the charity after joining a local VFW in Loveland and seeing its impact on residents.
In total, eight dancers will participate in the Boots & Bling gala, including others from the Greater Cincinnati Area.
The dancers pair with professional choreographers who help them develop their unique routines. Each contestant has been working on their dances in earnest for roughly three months leading up to the gala. Weekly lessons typically last 45 minutes to over an hour.
“[My instructor] Jeremy has been a very good teacher. We learned one segment of the dance one week and practice, practice, practice… all the time he’s given tips on how to make it look more professional and more graceful.” Cahall said.
The choreographers meet the contestants where they are at, and develop a routine based around their individual style and ability. They break down each section of the routine, learning through repetition and form.
Williamson said the training regimen reminded him of his high school wrestling career, “It’s kind of the same thing when you’re learning a new move; you learn it and then you repeat it over and over again until it’s ingrained in you.”
Dance contestants on "Good Day Clermont!"
The gala will present a variety of awards for winning contestants. The representative who raises the most money for their charity will also earn special recognition. The audience can vote for their favorite performance at the end of the night.
Tickets for the 2026 Boots & Bling gala have already sold out. Interested parties can still keep up to date on the event and other upcoming competitions by following Dance With Your Heart on social media.
“It goes beyond just the fun of the dance; it really is inspirational,” Cahall said about the event.
Dance With Your Heart encourages all Southwest Ohio residents to consider participating in upcoming performances and audience pools.
“I don’t think anyone should ever be afraid to be a part of this event,” Luck concluded. Although it will be her first time attending the gala, she said the organizers, choreographers, and overall support for the guest dancers have made it a rewarding experience.
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