Hospice PEI’s Dancing with the Stars
Hospice PEI Dancing with the Stars fundraising event is a fun-filled night packed with music and dancing. PEI Stars are paired with local professional dancers to show us their best moves! Various genres of dance will be highlighted throughout the night with 2 awards being given out, Judge’s Choice Award and People’s Choice Award.
Judge’s Choice Award: Awarded to the dance pair who the judges decide was the best performance.
People’s Choice Award: Awarded to the dance pair who receive the most amount of “votes” from the public.
For each $1 donation you make to Hospice PEI, you receive 1 vote for your favourite dance pair.
Tickets are $100 with a $45 charitable tax receipt. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served at 6:30 PM with our show beginning at 7:00 PM at the Delta Prince Edward (18 Queen St, Charlottetown). All guests will be seated at tables of 8 for the show. Alcoholic and non-alcohol drinks are available for purchase at numerous bars located in the event space.
Please notify Hospice PEI if there is a specific Star you are supporting and would like to be seated in their designated area – call (902) 368-4498 or email [email protected] to notify Hospice PEI.
Votes for your favourite dance couple will be accepted now until the end of our show’s intermission – votes can be placed through Canada Helps by calling our Provincial Office at (902) 368-4498 or in person at our Dancing with the Stars show.
Meet Our 2022 Stars!
Diane Griffin is a retired Senator who represented the Province of Prince Edward Island in the Senate of Canada (2016 – 2022). She served as Deputy Leader of the Canadian Senators Group; Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry; and Vice-Chair of the Canada – United States Interparliamentary Group.
Most of Mrs. Griffin’s career was spent on environmental conservation in roles as Deputy Minister, PEI Department of Fisheries and Environment; Natural Areas Coordinator in Alberta; Executive Director of the Island Nature Trust; and PEI Program Director for the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Diane and Kevin have lived in Stratford since 1994. She is a golfer, downhill skier, birdwatcher, and is a member of a ladies Texas Hold’em poker group. The Griffins like to travel, but like everyone else have stuck close to home during the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They hope to spend time touring the Maritime provinces this summer.
Prince Edward Island’s very own Queen is ready to embrace her spot as next in line for the crown!
As drag “royalty”, Dasha isn’t shy to command a stage with her presence, with her ongoing Haus of Zhoosh drag shows selling out since it’s inception. She is so excited to bring her incredible diversity and inclusion to the DWTS family as the first ever drag queen to compete in this competition! With the Art of visual feminine illusion under her belt, one could say she already has a “leg up on the competition?”
Her alter ego, Blake Caissie, was sad that he couldn’t complete his dream of dancing with the stars back in 2019 last minute, but sometimes it takes a woman to finish a man’s job!
Dasha is honoured to work with her fellow stars in spotlighting continued success through fundraising while adding extra fun for this Hospice PEI initiative.
Keenan Costain was born and raised in PEI into a small but very supportive family, who have always been there to support Keenan in his new opportunities.
Since meeting his girlfriend they have welcomed their fur baby, Arlo, into their lives and Keenan receives even more support and motivation from both of them! Always one to tear up the dance floor, Keenan can be found bustin’ a move at a friend’s wedding or doing the Mull River Shuffle at the Dublin!
During COVID Keenan found a new creative hobby, spreading laughter with his TikToks. You may have heard about Sus and Louise (The PEI Mom’s) from @kcost27. Born from the conversations he has had with his own mother and work mom, the accuracy of these videos is spot on. It is partly thanks to these characters that Keenan has found large success on TikTok and promotes local businesses/brands.
Robbie Doherty is an entertainer and athlete from Charlottetown, PEI who may be best known for his children’s show, Silly Robbie.
Starting as the frontman for the showband Sunday Punch, Robbie made the transition into Children’s music in 2019 creating Silly Robbie. Since then he has performed in many provinces, debuted the nationwide TV Show “Silly Robbie’s World” and was nominated for ECMA’s Children’s Entertainer of the Year twice.
Robbie represented PEI at the Tim Horton’s Brier 4 times. He has competed in 4 Pinty’s Grand Slam Curling events with Team Casey (ranked the 9th best curling team in the world), 1st team all-star at the Canadian Junior Curling Championships and was Canadian Mixed Curling Champion.
Doherty has two projects coming this fall: a full length Christian record, as well as his own curling podcast. Doherty is known for his outgoing personality and a big sense of humour.
Robbie lost his mother suddenly to cancer in 2021 and Hospice is a very important and meaningful cause for him. He is thrilled to be a part of this amazing project, and is guaranteed to entertain the audience (even with his two left feet!).
Kimberly Rashed is a busy mom of 4 who wears numerous hats including Realtor at Royal LePage, Fashion Editor of PEI Living Magazine and Personal Stylist at Style Becomes Her.
PEI is the only place she would ever imagine calling home. It is where she raises her family, shares time with friends and welcomes newcomers to experience all the incredible things PEI has to offer. As a realtor with Royal LePage, Kimberly enjoys working with buyers looking for their relaxing get-away, investment property, or that perfect place to call “home”. As Fashion Editor for PEI Living Magazine she strives to promote local retail fashion boutiques, while inspiring and featuring amazing women doing great things on PEI. Her ultimate goal is to empower women through fashion.
While studying fashion in college, Kimberly focused on pattern drafting and fit which inspired her to coach women on how to find their proper fit – “we are not all off the rack, of course. We need to be the designers of our own style story”.
Kimberly is excited to see if her dances in the kitchen and kid’s hip-hop skills translate to the stage. Let’s see if she can bring some “style” to the dance floor!”
Chelsea Almeida lives in Charlottetown as a proud mom to her amazing boy Sawyer and their spoiled kitten Mister Cheeto Dorito.
Always “hustling”, Chelsea’s career started in the Social Services field Mental Health and Addictions and moved on to create the Housing program at UPEI. Chelsea now pursues her passion in Real Estate working both as a Realtor with Red Isle Realty and in commercial leasing with The Gray Group. Little did Chelsea know that when she modelled for Vogue Optical during her early years attending UPEI, she would be a valued member of The Gray Group once again 15 years later!
Chelsea often finds herself dancing the moment she hears music and has always been on her bucket list to learn to dance! As a kid she has memories of line-dancing with her mom, organizing school dances and currently takes lessons at DownStreet Dance Studio.
Although Chelsea tends to shy away from being the center of attention, she is determined and gives 100% to everything she commits herself to. She hopes that the training and participation in this event will allow her to overcome her fears and give others motivation and courage to try new things also. “Two-Stepping” out of your comfort zone is where you grow!
Entrepreneur, founder and owner of Island Hill Farm, Flory Sanderson began her journey on the small family farm with Robby when she was 18. Since then, she has put Island Hill Farm on the map as a “must visit destination when visiting PEI”!
After a lifetime working on the farm, in retail and raising her three beautiful girls, Flory fell in love with a gifted goat in 2011. She’s loved goats ever since and has never looked back! Within a couple of years, Flory’s passion for helping others and love for animals grew as she established the “Cutest Place on Earth”, a cozy and welcoming petting farm. Flory now has 250 livestock and receives up to 550 visitors a day!
Alongside the petting farm, there is a Gift Shop featuring all local products, an event room, goat yoga, café and summer camps. Since opening her business in 2013, Flory has made the farm a kind and safe place for all, empowers women, animal lovers and fellow entrepreneurs to follow your dreams and do what you love.
Never one to shy away from competition, Flory is excited to see if her high school cheerleading skills can assist her on the dance floor. You “herd” it here first folks – Flory’s “goat” this!
Hailing from Prince Edward Island, Lawrence Maxwell is a singer-songwriter who will tell it to you like it’s folk and sing it to you like it’s country! Since his debut album he has become a 2021 ECMA award nominee and two-time Music PEI award winner.
Before launching his music career, Lawrence Maxwell served in the Royal Canadian Navy. Not wasting a moment of downtime on the warship he would lay the groundwork for his 2018 debut album Not Your Outlaw which earned his first Music PEI award.
With the release of his third album, Ballad of Miles, Lawrence continues to showcase his ability to unite fans of both the old and new. Now, he is challenged with doing the same on the dance floor but having cut his teeth on beer caps, rough waters, and country music, he is ready for any challenge that lies ahead.
Lawrence warns his fellow Stars that he will be a top competitor as he is officially coming out of retirement since his impressive step dance career from ages 3 to 5!
Annette MacKinnon might be best known for owning and operating MacKinnon Bros Service Centre and Shaw’s Towing with her husband, brother-in-law and late sister-in-law but she’s ready to step into the spotlight as a Star in Hospice PEI’s Dancing with the Stars!
Always ready for the fast life Annette has enjoyed the Stock Car Racing sport for the past 35 years, cheering on her husband Wade and son Darren to the finish line. All those years competing in the fast lane, Annette isn’t afraid of some friendly competition with her fellow Stars.
No stranger to dance, Annette spent 11 years at the Community School as a dance instructor and has proudly volunteered with Hospice PEI’s Dancing with the Stars for 8 years.
Retirement hasn’t slowed Annette down. She spends her time helping her daughter with their farm and loves spending time with her granddaughter.
Knowing the wonderful work Hospice PEI does for the community, Annette is honoured to step out of the volunteer role behind stage and into the spotlight for the 10th year of Dancing with the Stars!
Bianca Garcia Urena is an Afro Latinx woman from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Best known as Queen B, she has been very involved in the community here in Charlottetown for the last couple years.
Wearing multiple hats, B is an amazing local influencer, community organizer, and co-founder of the Black Collective Media. She is the Creative Director of the web series “T is for Té” which was launched for Black History Month and the 2022 PEI Fashion Weekend. Bianca commonly collaborates with brands both on PEI and other provinces, B works with Jems Boutique as their social media and marketing, is a brand ambassador for Discover Charlottetown, and does social media for BIPOCUSHR and other local businesses and organizations in town. Most recently Bianca was the social media manager of the Black Culture Society for Black History Month 2022.
Excited to bring some Caribbean energy to Hospice PEI’s Dancing with the Stars, Bianca is ready to bring her love for dance to the stage!
Gordon Connell is the proud father of two children, grandfather to two beautiful grandchildren, a lover of all foods except ketchup because “that’s gross” and has lived in Rocky Point, PEI for the past 48 years.
Working under the parent company Gemini Screen Print, Gordon works with Yesco and Sign City and recently installed Hospice PEI’s dream sign at their new home! As a Service Technician, Gordon happily makes people’s and businesses’ dreams come true and does so with a big smile.
Gordon understands the importance of the essential services Hospice PEI offers as his late wife passed at the Provincial Palliative Care Centre where Hospice PEI volunteers provide services. Since her passing, Gordon has been extremely active in the community as he believes it’s important to give back in any way he can.
Eager to get his groove on, Gordon is excited to show off his love for music and dance, while also supporting Hospice PEI!
Thank you to our Sponsors!
