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Finales Announced: "Dancing with the Students" comes to Crawford Middle School via the Legends

May 8, 2017

Update: Finales for both classes of Dancing with the Students at Crawford Middle School have been set for Tuesday, May 16, 2017 from 1:13pm-2:00pm and 2:08pm-2:55pm.  Two-time Dancing with the Lexington Stars Champion and President & CEO of the Lexington Legends Andy Shea will be serving as the Guest Judge

Update: Finales for both classes of Dancing with the Students at Crawford Middle School have been set for Tuesday, May 16, 2017 from 1:13pm-2:00pm and 2:08pm-2:55pm.  Two-time Dancing with the Lexington Stars Champion and President & CEO of the Lexington Legends Andy Shea will be serving as the Guest Judge for the finales. Media is welcome to attend the finales for photographs and interviews with students.  
From the original release in March:
(WHITAKER BANK BALLPARK) Lexington, KY - Students at Crawford Middle School will put on their dancing shoes and take a new approach to Physical Education as well as Arts and Humanities curriculum through a new community partnership with the not for profit "Dancing with the Students," based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Dancing with the Students comes to Lexington via Lexington Legends Secretary and Principal Sue Martinelli Shea, as she founded the non-profit organization in 2005. The students involved will be at the sixth, seventh and eighth grade levels and will compete in a 10 weeks of dance class; 9 weeks of instruction with the 10th week culminating in a grand finale competition. The students will be taught by Arthur Murray trained dancer teacher Rae Mickelwait and will learn four dances: Waltz, Tango, Merengue, and Swing. "My dream is to have these talented students dance at Whitaker Bank Ballpark during a Legends' game this summer" says Martinelli Shea. "Mickelwait was also Andy's dance partner for Dancing with the Stars-Lexington, so it's wonderful to have this community partnership come full circle!"
Andy Shea, President and CEO of the Lexington Legends, is just as vested in this partnership as his Mother. "I am so proud and honored of what my Mother has created and her ambition to begin Dancing with The Students classes in Lexington. There are so many life lessons that are learned through ballroom dancing and not to mention, it's so much fun!"
This partnership would not have been possible without the support of Crawford Middle School Principal Mike Jones. Jones readily accepted by stating "I'm excited about this new and unique partnership with "Dancing with the Students." Some of our Crawford Middle School students are going to be given the opportunity to learn four different ballroom dances as well as the etiquette that goes along with this art form. The 10-week program will be incorporated into 2 different Physical Education classes. The movement requirements used in dance can be found in PE as well as Arts and Humanities curriculum. I want to personally thank Andy Shea and Sue Martinelli Shea for allowing us to partner with the program. We hope to build it to include more students in the future." 
For more information, about Dancing with the Students, visit www.dancingwiththestudents.org or contact Sarah Bosso at [email protected] or 859 422-7855. 
The Legends, a Class A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and a member of the South Atlantic League, will return home to Whitaker Bank Ballpark against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, an affiliate of the Miami Marlins, on May 10, 2017 at 12:35pm. For ticket information, call (859) 422-7867 or visit lexingtonlegends.com.