[NEohioPAL] Versatile Dance Company Hosts Benefit for Leukemia Charity

[Craig M. Rosenthal]

Who: Versatile Dance Company
What: Fundraiser/Benefit for Leukemia Charity
Where: Canton Palace Theatre
When: Sunday, January 10th, 2010 @ 2pm
Tickets: (330) 454-8172



It’s not just an average dinner and raffle charity function that
Mitchel Federan wanted to organize to give back to the
community–18-year-old Federan dreams bigger than that. He envisioned
creating a dance company centered on raising funds for charities
through showcasing his and other dancers’ unique different dance
styles. After long hours of auditions and planning, Federan founded
Versatile Dance Company (VDC) comprised of 15 of the most talented and
driven dancers in the area that all share a similar passion of giving
back to the community through dance.

“By making this company non-profit and basing our performances around
different charities that are meaningful to the company, we’ve found a
way to take our talents and use them to benefit others that are in
need. I feel like this is the most rewarding way to dance and I plan
on continuing to push dance in this direction” Federan explained.

Federan’s love of dance began at the age of two, when he started
dancing at his mother’s studio, Center Stage Dance Studio. Since then,
Federan has performed in the Radio City Rockette Show is Mexico City,
in The Music Man on Broadway (Starring Rebecca Luker and Robert Sean
Leonard), and in the Boy from Oz on Broadway, where he starred
opposite Hugh Jackman. Some of his television credits include a role
on ABC’s All My Children, an appearance on 8 Simple rules, and a
starring role in two pilots for ABC’s Just a Phase. Federan was
nominated for two “Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical” awards and
won a Theater World Award for “Best Broadway Debut” in 2004. In recent
years, Federan has been hired to choreograph at studios all over the
East Coast.

Versatile Dance Company’s premier performance “Praying for Abbey” will
be held on January 10th, at 2pm, at The Canton Palace Theatre. This
performance was inspired by the story of Abbey Colbert, a young girl
who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia on October 2nd,
2008, at the young age of three. This show will also feature special
guest performance by Quest Crew, winners of “America’s Best Dance
Crew” on MTV.

“Love, togetherness, and support are the messages that we will be
conveying through our dancing. Jim Colbert, Abbey’s father, is a
police officer for Pepper Pike, and serves his community every day. I
feel that it is time that we do the same for his family in return”
Federan said.

Kelsey Kornblut, a 17-year-old dancer in VDC is thrilled to support the cause.

“Abbey is a strong fighter who has so many fans rooting for her
health,” Kornblut said. “This performance is meant to portray the pain
and struggle Abbey and her family went through as well as the hope and
recovery for the future.”

In addition to seeing an unforgettable show which will promote
awareness of childhood cancer, through attending, audience members
will also be contributing financially to the research to find better
cures for this disease. Raising a child with leukemia puts an immense
amount of financial pressure on the family.
“She is on many medications, at times eight a day, and for each
medication, there is a co-pay. Gas, parking and expenses from all of
our hospital trips take a toll on your finances. It all adds up”
Abbey’s mother, Shelley Colbert explained.

“At times I know it’s hard for people to know what to do or say when
they hear of a family going through something like this. We would feel
so blessed, loved and encouraged to see tons of people come out on
January 10th. To support us and the many others battling childhood
cancers would mean the world to us. We are so thankful for Mitchel and
VDC,” Shelley said.

With such incredible talent, Federan remains humble and thankful for
all his support in this project. VDC hopes to fill the Canton Palace
Theatre on January 10th and looks forward illuminating Abbey’s story
on stage.

“Watching Abbey go through this has been heartbreaking for us, yet her
strength keeps us going,” Shelley explained. “There is nothing more
horrible than seeing your child suffer; yet, there has been nothing
more amazing than seeing people come up around us and walk this road
with us.”

“Praying for Abbey” will be held on January 10th, at 2pm, at The
Canton Palace Theatre. Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased
online at www.CantonPalaceTheatre.com or by calling the box office at
(330) 454-8172. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Leukemia
& Lymphoma Society as well as Abbey Colbert. Read more about Abbey’s
story at www.Colbert-Family.blogspot.com


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_________________________________
Craig Rosenthal
crosenth at kent.edu
cmractor at gmail.com



-- 
_________________________________
Craig Rosenthal
crosenth at kent.edu
cmractor at gmail.com