Pulse: Dance Moms, American Idol, Crown Vics, Steve Cortes

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Midwest Edge Dance Academy's Ansley Miller, Sarah Perkins, Hannah Singer, Sarah Paolucci and Hannah DiValerio performed their winning number"Countdown" in Chicago to beat "Dance Moms" Abby Lee Dance Studio group. | Photo courtesy of Evolve Photo and Video

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Updated: March 4, 2012 8:02AM

Dance moms

Reality TV show
with a local twist

Local dancers who attended the Co. Dance convention in Chicago last weekend were treated to more than dance.

Members of Abby Lee Dance Studio, Candy Apples and, of course, their moms, were in town filming for a future episode of Lifetime’s reality TV show “Dance Moms.”

Maggie Roeske, 11, of Steps Dance Center in Aurora typically watches “Dance Moms” with her family. But Jan. 27, the fifth-grader at Fry Elementary had the opportunity to not only watch Abby Lee dancer Maddie, 8, during a solo performance, she also had the chance to compete against her.

It was the highlight of her weekend.

“Maddie was really sweet,” she said. “She congratulated me after I performed and told me ‘good job.’”

Now here’s your spoiler alert.

A group from Midwest Edge Dance Academy beat the Abby Lee dancers, which should make for some interesting reality TV. Dancers Ansley Miller, Sarah Perkins, Hannah Singer, Sarah Paolucci and Hannah DiValerio won with their performance titled “Countdown.”

Midwest Edge Dance Academy owner and director Michelle Murnen said, when dancers from her Aurora studio learned they would be competing against the “Dance Moms” group, they went “into a frenzy.”

“They were nervous and excited,” Murnen said.

“I was confident from the start that our kids would place well. When the results were announced that Midwest Edge came out on top of Abby Lee, we were all ecstatic.”

Sources said the episode should air sometime in March.

‘Idol’ help

Glocksen partners
with KidsMatter

KidsMatter is getting a little help from one famous Naperville friend: “American Idol” finalist and professional singer Gina Glocksen.

Glocksen will highlight an upcoming benefit performance that will support KidsMatter, a nonprofit group that helps empower children.

The event, known as “Ignite the Nite,” will be a performing arts celebration featuring local high school musicians, singers, dancers and actors. Deb Newman, head of marketing and communications for KidsMatter, said she pitched the idea to executives who told her “to run with it.”

“(I’ve) seen local kids participate in fundraisers like this on a much smaller scale, and as an old choir mom, I know how to organize things,” Newman said. “We’re excited to get Gina Glocksen to appear at the event given her experience on ‘American Idol,’ and her husband is a teacher in one of the local high schools, so we have a great area connection.”

The show will feature students from Naperville school districts 203 and 204 and Benet Academy. Auditions will be from noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 19 at the School of Performing Arts at Fifth Avenue Station in Naperville. Groups are invited to audition acts up to three minutes long. For audition information, go to www.kidsmatter2us.org or search “KidsMatter Ignite the Nite” on Facebook.

The production will be professionally directed by actor/director Elic Bramlett. The show will be presented April 19 at Wentz Concert Hall on the North Central College campus.

Rockin’ night away

Crown Vics to
play CityGate Grille

Fans of music from shows such as “Jersey Boys” or the ongoing “Million Dollar Quarter” might want to head out to the CityGate Grille on Friday nights, beginning tonight. If music that reflects the birth of rock ’n roll is your thing, a Chicago-area band with some Naperville players will help create a real sense of nostalgia.

“The Crown Vics is a group that formed back in 2003 when our guitarist, David Downer, was looking to form a spinoff band from the group he was working with,” said Naperville’s Mark Manzo, 38, who plays drums for the group. “I had actually put an ad in the paper looking for guys who wanted to start sort of a ’50s band, and Dave and I found each other. It’s been great ever since.”

The Crown Vics play about 30 to 50 gigs a year, Manzo said, including appearances at night clubs, private parties, weddings and car shows. Two of the group’s highlight appearances include pregame performances at Bulls and Blackhawks games, and an appearance at Soldier Field two years ago during a Special Olympics event.

The group’s first “Rockin Around the Clock” performance begins at 8 p.m. Feb. 3 at the CityGate Grille, 2020 Calamos Court, Naperville. There is no cover charge, and reservations are recommended. Contact City Gate Grille at 630-718-1010 or visit www.thecrownvics.com.

Fanning the flames

Naperville dentist
bears torch for UIC

Naperville dentist Dr. John Gerding, 69, who was sworn in Nov. 13 as president of the Chicago Dental Society, received a special honor in January.

On Jan. 14, Gerding served as the torchbearer for the Lighting of the Flame before a University of Illinois Chicago Flames game. Gerding fired things up during a basketball game against rivals the Loyola University Ramblers.

“We are delighted to see Dr. Gerding recognized this way as we have a long-standing commitment with UIC’s dental education college,” said Keri Kramer, communications director for the CDS, a group that was established almost 150 years ago. It has 4,000 members. “We appreciate the recognition this also brings to the Dental Society and our president.”

Gerding said being the torchbearer was a bit of a stretch. Gerding attended Loyola High School as well as Loyola University and its dental school.

“It was tough representing the other side as it were, but the students were great, and I was told I was something like the 198th person to do this,” Gerding said. “This was really a surprise but also a wonderful opportunity. The game was good, too, until the last few minutes. UIC won.”

Positive outlook

CNBC contributor
talks economics

The Naperville Chamber of Commerce’s monthly membership luncheon last week featured a special guest. Author, entrepreneur and CNBC contributor Steve Cortes challenged members to forgo conventional wisdom and think outside the box — even if no one else was following.

The luncheon Jan. 23 at the HiltonLisle/Naperville drew a crowd of more than 120 people who found the spunky Cortes well prepared.

“There was a big crowd there who enjoyed Mr. Cortes, as he definitely has a different point of view,” said John Schmitt, CEO and president of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce. “There were some interesting perspectives offered about China as well as the risk and reward in investing. These are some the things he talks about in his new book, ‘Against the Herd: 6 Contrarian Investment Strategies You Should Follow.’”

Schmitt said that Cortes believes the one-child-per-family rule in China will eventually make the U.S. into a superior country economically.

“He told us that countries need young, cheap labor in the workforce, and over time, America will be producing more young people while China’s population will actually decline,” Schmitt said. “Overall, I’d say the talk was positive. Cortes said we have had problems before, and we’ve figured them out, and we’re going to do so again. There may be some bumps along the way, but it’s not all gloom and doom.”

Got Pulse? Send quirky, weird, interesting and just plain funny tips to readers’ editor Heather Pfundstein at hpfundstein@stmedianetwork.com.