presents:

8th ANNUAL DANCING WITH THE W2 STARS!

Walla Walla celebrities will be taking to the stage at Cordiner Hall on Saturday, October 11, 2025 for the 8th Annual Dancing with the W2 Stars fundraising event for Valley Residential Services. Eight local participants will be paired with professional dancers and will have a week of rehearsals to learn a ballroom dance routine before performing it live in front of an audience and judging panel.

DANCER BIOS

Cia Cortinas Sponsored by STCU		Travis Locke Sponsored by Herring-Grossclose Funeral Home
Occupation:  3rd grade dual language teacher and creator of Zero Proof Walla Walla. Favorite Hobby: Chess and music festivals. How long have you lived in Walla Walla? Born and raised. Left and came back. So 27 out of 39 years. What is your favorite thing to do in Walla Walla? Enjoy our epic sunrises, sunsets and puffy clouds. Favorite style of dance: Latin, funk and ecstatic. What would you call your current dance style? Aquarian free flow. Who is your dance idol? James Brown. How much dance experience do you have? Nothing professional, but dance is a core part of my life.		Occupation:  Licensed Funeral Director/Embalme at Herring-Groseclose Funeral Home. Favorite Hobby: Showing of Morgan horses and yard landscaping. How long have you lived in Walla Walla? 21 years. What is your favorite thing to do in Walla Walla? Community involvement. Favorite style of dance: Waltz (formal). What would you call your current dance style? The Flale: LOL. Who is your dance idol? Unknown. How much dance experience do you have? Little to none.
Corie Konen Sponsored by Fausti Communications		Sean Stroe Sponsored by Edward Jones
Occupation:  Chef. Favorite Hobby: Catching bass. How long have you lived in Walla Walla? 19 years. What is your favorite thing to do in Walla Walla? Dining with friends and family. Favorite style of dance: Hula. What would you call your current dance style? Quirky, with some rhythm. Who is your dance idol? Paula Abdul. How much dance experience do you have? Danced Hula in competitions in my younger years.		Occupation:  Co-owner of Fat Rolls and Building Inspector. Favorite Hobby: Right now I’d have to say golf, probably because I’m not as fit as I was when I played my first love; Basketball. Even though I’m terrible I still enjoy the challenge and embarrassment in others watching me play golf. How long have you lived in Walla Walla? I am a Walla native born here, then moved away at age 7, came back 10 years ago and will remain in my beautiful city for the rest of my days. I plan on making my city the best city to live in because it’s truly a magical place filled with community that cares for one another. What is your favorite thing to do in Walla Walla? I ‘m proud, and honored to be in a position to help develop our city through community outreach and being involved in our city being a board member of Campfire Walla Walla, now this VRS dancing with the stars can improve people’s lives who are less fortunate than ours. I also enjoy good food (which we have plenty of here), checking out new wineries and revisiting my favorites. Last but certainly not least enjoying quality time with my 2 beautiful granddaughters, daughter and my lovely wife! Favorite style of dance: I LOVE swing dance probably my favorite, but I’m versatile as I’ve won a dance competition at Walla Walla County Club in 2017🏆 So I’m kinda a bad mutha shut yo mouth, so WATCH OUT! What would you call your current dance style? I’d have to call it the Seanny Sean Sean, well because it’s me and I do what I do. I used to watch MTV, back when they actually had music on it…RIP MTV. Anyway, I just do my thing and it seems to be pretty sick! Who is your dance idol? Ok, firstly please be nice here…gotta separate the Artist from the art people. Here goes, Michael Jackson, simply because he was the best dancer on the planet. How much dance experience do you have? Well, I gave you a taste of why I’m going to win the competition, and it has everything to do with my mad experience growing up with all those dance offs on MTV. Beyond that was my dance lessons in swing I took 15 years ago..
Kim Convery Sponsored by Michael J. Fluharty, CPA PLLC		Bill Weed Sponsored by Banner Bank
Occupation:  Alaska Flight Attendant for 26 years. Favorite Hobby: Travel and sailing! How long have you lived in Walla Walla? Not long, I’m the newbie. Our family moved here in August of 2024. What is your favorite thing to do in Walla Walla? Wine tasting with all of our new friends. Favorite style of dance: That’s like asking a kid to pick just one candy! I’ve got Disco fever in one foot and Salsa spice in the other. If it’s got rhythm and good vibes, I’m dancing! What would you call your current dance style? In a word, random! I’m a bit of a dance chameleon—I love all kinds of music and styles! Who is your dance idol? Impossible to pick. I felt drawn to the dancers and choreographers from the show, So You Think You Can Dance. I enjoy Allison Holker amd Amy Yakima How much dance experience do you have? I danced in middle and high school, but that was a lifetime ago!.		Occupation:  Beertender at Walla Walla Beer Parlor. Favorite Hobby: Telling jokes that may or may not land, finding new breweries and being an AI powered artist. How long have you lived in Walla Walla? Long enough to know where all the good beer and bad decisions are…aka 4 years. What is your favorite thing to do in Walla Walla? Meeting people and building community while working at Beer Parlor. Favorite style of dance: A tie between 90s hip-hop and the awkward uncle shuffle at weddings. What would you call your current dance style? Retired backup dancer for 98 degrees with mild ankle concerns. Who is your dance idol? Carlton Banks. How much dance experience do you have? Held the high score on Dance Dance Revolution, at the Tacoma Mall, for 3 and a half days.
Barb Casey Sponsored by Wall 2 Wall Furniture and Mattress		Chris Christianson Sponsored by Price Computers
Occupation:  Director of Special Education, Walla Walla Public Schools. Favorite Hobby: Sitting in the bleachers, yelling “Good hustle!” while pretending I understand all the rules of every sport my boys play :). How long have you lived in Walla Walla? Long enough to pronounce it without giggling! We moved here in 2008. What is your favorite thing to do in Walla Walla? Getting outside! I love to spend time on long walks in our beautiful valley. Spring is my favorite time of the year here. I also enjoy supporting youth in our community through volunteering with our Kiwanis Club of Walla Walla. Favorite style of dance: Country swing dancing and anything that gives me an opportunity to dance away the events of the day. What would you call your current dance style? I like to think of it as the “Mom on a Mission Mamba!” – just add coffee. Who is your dance idol? This is going to date me a little, but I have always loved Paula Abdul! She can do a little of everything: tap, hip hop, ballet, jazz, and she was a cheerleader so you see athleticism in her moves, too.. How much dance experience do you have? I took tap and jazz lessons as a young girl – and I don’t remember any of it! I was a high school and college cheerleader (Go Zags!) so I have some background in choreographed routines. But since then, my experience is mostly in dancing around the living room to embarrass my children!		Occupation:  Credit Administration Specialist at Baker Boyer by day, FOH manager/bouncer at Ming Court by night. Favorite Hobby: THanging out with my two sons, who keep me humble, exhausted, and weirdly knowledgeable about dinosaurs and Beyblades. How long have you lived in Walla Walla? 15 years – long enough to know where the best tacos are. What is your favorite thing to do in Walla Walla? Volunteering at any event that involves snacks and hanging out with friends. Favorite style of dance: The Macarena. What would you call your current dance style? Somewhere between ‘Tik Tok fail’ and ‘dad at wedding’. Who is your dance idol? Mick Jagger. How much dance experience do you have? Approximately zero, but my enthusiasm more than makes up for it.

Love all the dancers and can’t decide who to support?
Click here to donate directly to VRS

	Judging Panel
Brian Gains Wall 2 Wall Furniture and Mattress (Past Dancer)	Phillip Provost Provost Realestate Team (Past Dancer)	Cathy Bay Owner Runway Market & Sparkling Bar (2024 Winner)

Master of Ceremonies

Lawson Knight
Edward Jones
(2016 First Place Winner)

Co-Host

Chris Coates
PocketiNet
(2017 Second Place Winner)

Presenting Sponsor
Dancer Sponsors

Trophy Sponsor:

Backstage Sponsor:

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Hair & Makeup Sponsor:

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