FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 8, 2018

LAKE OF THE OZARKS WELCOMES "DANCING WITH THE STARS" WINNERS FOR BENEFIT EVENTS

World champions and "Dancing with the Stars" regulars Kiki Nyemchek and Magda Fialek will lead Latin dance workshops and demonstrations during the three-day Lake Dance Event and Forget Me Not Ball.
Lake of the Ozarks, MO - It's time to put on your dancing shoes and head to the Lake of the Ozarks for a long weekend of dancing and entertainment during the Lake Dance Event and the 10th Annual Forget Me Not Ball, June 21-23.

This three-day event celebrates dancing, fun, new friends and the fight to end Alzheimers Disease. The highlights of the weekend are the workshops and performances by four professional dancers from "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance," including the world champions Kiki Nyemchek and Magda Fialek and Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson. All events and activities are open to the public, whether as dancers or simply spectators. Tickets are available through La Roca Club.

According to Amy Hernandez, the co-owner of La Roca Club in Osage Beach, one of the two host venues for the festivities, this is one of the biggest things the Lake of the Ozarks has to offer given the popularity of "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance."

Amy and Peter Hernandez, owners of La Roca Club.
"We're really excited to have Kiki, Magda, Val and Jenna come to the Lake of the Ozarks," says Hernandez, who also is a dance instructor at La Roca. "This is huge for the Lake area. We hope people will realize what a wonderful opportunity this is to see these incredibly talented dancers in person. It will be like watching an episode of "Dancing with the Stars" live and in-person. It's going to be amazing."

The festivities get started on Thursday, June 21. Thursday marks the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. La Roca is partnering with the Alzheimers Association to raise money and awareness during the association's annual national "Longest Day" campaign with a two-hour scenic sunset cruise aboard the Tropic Island luxury yacht at Tan-Tar-A Resort, 494 Tan-Tar-A Drive in Osage Beach. Boarding for the cruise starts at 6 p.m. and the ship departs the marina at 6:30 p.m.

Participants in the Lake Dance Event also will have the opportunity to show off their skills during several showcases and nightly dances.
After the cruise, the action continues at La Roca Club, 980 Airport Drive in Osage Beach, with dancing and demos beginning at 8:45 p.m. Dessert and a cash bar will be available at La Roca that evening.

On Friday, June 22, there will be workshops, dinner, a talent showcase and more dancing at La Roca. The morning kicks off with breakfast from 9-10 a.m. followed by a Latin dance workshop lead by world champions and "Dancing with the Stars" regulars Kiki Nyemchek and Magda Fialek. A ballroom dancing workshop takes place at 11 a.m. lead by Dancesport champions and rising dance stars Michael and Lucy Fitzgerald. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Workshop participants will be able to show off their skills and what they've learned during the student showcase starting at 7:30 p.m. The showcase also will feature students from studios based in the Lake of the Ozarks, St. Louis and Kansas City areas. After the show, there will be more dancing and fun.

"Dancing with the Stars" winners  Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson will lead a special dance 
workshop on 
Saturday, June 23.
Saturday, June 23 marks the climax of the star-studded weekend. The final day begins at La Roca with breakfast from 9-10 a.m. followed by three dance workshops. Nyemchek and Fialek lead another Latin workshop at 10 a.m. followed by a West Coast Swing workshop taught by U.S. Open Swing Dance champion Jesse Lopez. 

At noon, attendees can learn from "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance" veteran powerhouse dance couple Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson. Val is a two-time "Dancing with the Stars" champion who won with actress and singer Rumer Willis and Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez. Jenna won "Dancing with the Stars" with Olympic skater Adam Rippon. The emphasis for this particular workshop will be determined by Val and Jenna when they arrive based upon the interest and skill level of the group.

"Val is extremely talented and has a mastery of many different forms of dance, so it's going to be interesting to see what he comes up with," Hernandez says. "Whatever he decides, you know it's going to be great and a lot of fun to watch."

The activities become more formal in the early evening as the events shift to Tan-Tar-A Resort's Salon B ballroom for the 10th Annual Forget-Me-Not Ball. Doors open at 6 p.m. to the public for this black tie affair beginning with cocktails and cash bar. Dinner is at at 7 p.m. followed by a presentation by the Greater Missouri chapter of the Alzheimers Association.

Dances with the four stars in attendance - Kiki Nyemchek, Magda Fialek, Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson - will be auctioned off to the highest bidder to raise more funds to find a cure for Alzheimers Disease.

Attendees of the Forget Me Not Ball will have the opportunity to dance with the stars during the dance auction at the Forget Me Not Ball at Tan-Tar-A Resort.
At 8 p.m., the evening heats up with non-stop dance performances by some of the best dancers in Missouri. The professional dance instructors from the visiting St. Louis-, Kansas City- and Lake-area academies, including Hernandez and her husband, Peter, will perform as well as the students at the local Relevé Dance Academy. These performances punctuate the elaborate and amazing routines by the four "Dancing with the Stars" regulars.

Following the performances, ball-goers will dance the night away and celebrate all they have learned and accomplished in the fight against Alzheimers over the three days of dance instruction and demonstrations.

Advanced ticket reservations are recommended. Tickets for the weekend dance package start at $185 per person. Tickets for the Forget Me Not Ball only are $95 per person. There is a $75 registration fee for those interested in attending the class with Val and Jenna. A la carte options for individual activities and pricing also are available. For more information, or to order tickets to this fun dance-filled event, call La Roca Club at 573-348-0773 or visit larocadanceclub.com/event_list/view/91 or larocadanceclub.com/forget_me_not/ball/.

Those looking to stay the weekend can book their lodging for the "Forget Me Not Ball" at Tan-Tar-A Resort by visiting www.Tan-Tar-A.com.

Additional lodging options, including full-service resorts, family-owned resorts, vacation rental homes and condominiums, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds and RV parks, can be found at the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau's award-winning website, www.FunLake.com.

Visitors that would like to find out more about all the different events and attractions at the Lake of the Ozarks, should also visit the website above or call   800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253).

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For media assistance or high-resolution photography, please call  The Beenders-Walker Group toll-free at 1- 800-544-8474  or email Kyle Stewart Marjorie Beenders , or  Jo Duncan .

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LAKE OF THE OZARKS TRI-COUNTY LODGING ASSOCIATION 

& CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU

Phone: 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) Fax: 573-348-2293  

P.O. Box 1498  Osage Beach, MO 65065

Website: www.FunLake.com  Email: Info@FunLake.com