County celebrity a dancing champion

Caroline Granger and Todd Bennett

Jeanette Arsenault and David Allen

Lori Slik and Ray Best

Add talented dancer to Prince Edward County singer/songwriter Jeanette Arsenault's resume as she and dancing partner David Allen, executive director of the YMCA, won first place with their Jazz Mambo performance in the Quinte Dancing with the Stars event Friday night before an audience of more than 900 at the Yardmen arena. Michael Shannon photo

Add talented dancer to Prince Edward County singer/songwriter Jeanette Arsenault’s resume as she and dancing partner David Allen, executive director of the YMCA, won first place with their Jazz Mambo performance in the Quinte Dancing with the Stars event Friday night before an audience of more than 900 at the Yardmen arena.
“Dancing with the Stars of Quinte put the “fun” in fundraising,” Jeanette said. “Thanks to my dancing machine, David Allen, our superb choreographer, Jenna Wright, of Inside Out Dance Academy and all our fans, we walked away with first prize for the 3rd annual event in support of Big Brothers, Big Sisters.”
Michael Manthorpe and Lisa Grills came in second place, and Freddy Vette and Orlena Cain placed third.

Sixteen Quinte area celebrities were matched with dance teachers to polish their salsa, waltz, swing, merengue and more to wow the audience at the May 14 event. At the end of the show, audience members voted for a favourite to crown the champions who would follow in the footsteps of last year’s winners, Sue Rollins and Mark Philbin and 2008 champs, Andrea Doucette and Todd Smith.

Paul Burwell and Barb Coulson, of Wellington, are among the dance instructors.

Dancers this year were: Jeanette Arsenault and David Allen, Orlena Cain and Freddy Vette, Karol Marshman and Richard Floyd, Caroline Granger and Todd Bennett, Carol Feeney and Darren Matassa, Lisa Grills and Michael Manthorpe, Lori Slik and Ray Best, Anya-Deane Best and Mike Botterill.