A star in the making: Homewood resident set to ‘dance with the stars’

Daniel Chaplin wants to appear on the “Dancing with the Stars” ABC television show someday. Until then, he’s also happy to be one of the performers taking the stage for “Dancing with the Stars of the Magic City.”

Chaplin and his dance and choreography partner, Madelyn Crosby, are one of 12 teams participating in this month’s competition, which is a fundraiser for First Light shelter. Lani Powell, First Light’s development director, said this is the fourth year of Dancing with the Stars of the Magic City, though both Chaplin and Crosby are first-time participants.

“We think he’s going to be one of the stars to really beat,” Powell said. “He tells me that he’s a dynamite fundraiser, too.”

Chaplin, a Lancaster Road resident, has been dancing for several years, first in country and line dances and then ballroom styles. His mother, Jane Chaplin, said it was challenging to find the right studio. They started at Bailey Dance Studio in Hoover and met Kim Smith, who teaches ballroom at Dr. Dance Studio.

“He’s always wanted to ballroom dance, and I had to find a studio that was willing to take someone with Down syndrome,” she said.

Daniel Chaplin has competed around the Southeast and also teaches basic ballroom dance to young adults with Down syndrome at National Down Syndrome Congress conferences he regularly attends. He enjoys the dramatics of dance, he said.

Jane Chaplin said “Dancing with the Stars” is one of her son’s favorite shows, and they once had the opportunity to attend filming during one of the seasons. He has “so many dreams,” she said, including being the star in front of the “Dancing with the Stars” cameras someday.

Crosby, a dance instructor at All About The Dance on U.S. 280, started dancing as a child and learned Latin dances while living in South America, later learning ballroom dance in 2011.

“The reason I fell in love with ballroom dancing is not just the dancing itself. … I love seeing the smiles that it puts on people’s faces. I’ve always said that dancing, you know, you never see anybody watching dancing or dancing with a frown on their face. They’ve always got smiles,” she said.

The pair met at a kickoff event for the competition Aug. 1. At their first rehearsal Aug. 7, Daniel Chaplin came prepared — he had found a routine he loved from the “Dancing with the Stars” TV show and wanted to recreate it.

Crosby learned the steps with a little modification, and they were able to jump right in. Their routine will be a fusion of tango and a Spanish dance style called paso doble, set to Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

“I’m really excited about dancing with this guy. It’s the first time I’ve ever done choreography from ‘Dancing with the Stars,’” Crosby said after their first rehearsal.

With his dancing background, Chaplin was soon able to match Crosby step for step, though he’s never tried paso doble before.

“I’m realizing I really need to be on my game because he’s catching on really quickly. I think the only struggle is going to be getting him to slow down,” Crosby said.

When Crosby joked about needing to be in top condition, Chaplin replied, “She’s going to have to with me.”

They have had two months to work together on memorizing and perfecting their routine for the upcoming competition.

Chaplin said he was looking forward to every part of the competition, including the chance to give back to the community through First Light.

“He’s just so happy. He loves to perform, so I’m happy he has an opportunity to perform,” Jane Chaplin said.

People from the Wiggins Childs Pantazis Fisher & Goldfarb law firm, where Daniel Chaplin works in the mailroom, will be attending the event with custom shirts to support him, he said.

Chaplin and Crosby will face off against the other pairs, which include people from a wide variety of careers and community groups.

“I think it’s going to be big,” Chaplin said.

Powell said all of the dancers and their choreography partners are volunteering their time to prepare their routines and raise money.

While Chaplin was interested in ballroom dance, Powell said many participants have wanted to perform other styles of dancing, including clogging. If First Light can find a professional dancer with the right experience, she said, any dance style is welcome.

The judges panel will be professional dancers, and last year’s winner, Bakari Miller, will emcee the event. The 12 teams will compete for first-, second- and third-place awards from the judges, as well as the Torch People’s Choice Award, given to the team with the highest fundraising.

Powell said each team sets its own fundraising goal and donors can choose which team they want to support if they give online. Powell encouraged supporters to “vote with their dollars” for their favorite team.

Dancing with the Stars of the Magic City is a project of First Light’s Young Partners Junior Board and has been growing in support every year, Powell said.

All of the money raised goes to First Light’s emergency shelter and supportive housing programs for homeless women and children. Last year, First Light provided services to more than 1,000 women and children, Powell said.

Dancing with the Stars of the Magic City will be at the Lyric Theatre on Oct. 10, starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.

Buy tickets or donate to one of the teams at firstlightstars.swell.gives.