Animal Instincts Run Wild
On Monday night, NYC was teeming with leopard prints, alley cats, songbirds and shark attacks. (No, we weren’t at the Bronx Zoo.) gendance was honored to walk the red carpet at Ballroom Unleashed, a benefit show featuring a range of talent from ballroom champs, So You Think You Can Dance celebs and Dance Times Square students. The animal-centered themes (and sexy costumes) brought out the audience’s wild side. Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis performed a contemporary rumba, Twitch nailed a freestyle routine and there was even a duet from a Metropolitan Opera singer and accordion player.
But the night wasn’t only about indulging animalistic urges. Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin, Latin Ballroom champs, fashioned this benefit for Angel on a Leash, a volunteer organization that works with therapy dogs to bring smiles to various hospitals and schools.
Along with the precious pups we met, the passionate performers also brought on the smiles-from the students who had only been taking class for 9 months to seasoned world champions. As a guest speaker noted, “Life’s just about feeling good.” Ballroom Unleashed was no exception.
