The Stars aligned for 5th Annual Stars Dancing for Parkinson's

Nine celebrity dancers burned up the dance floor to 1980s movie soundtracks for the annual “Stars Dancing for Parkinson’s” fundraising competition Friday, helping Hartford HealthCare generate $315,000 for the care of patients with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.

The funds raised will allow patients at the Ayer Neuroscience Institute Chase Family Movement Disorders Center participate in wellness classes such as yoga, tai chi, boxing and dance for free.

“There is just so much we’d like to do for our patients to keep them well, keep them healthy and keep them doing as best they can despite their diagnosis,” says J. Antonelle deMarcaida, MD, medical director of the Chase Family Movement Disorders Center and organizer of “Stars Dancing for Parkinson’s.”

It was the 5th year for the event, which featured colleagues from across HHC and the community who trained for months with professional partners from Ballroom Fever Dance Studio in Enfield for the chance to take home the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy. This year’s winner was Joel Vengco, HHC chief information and digital officer, who danced with Karolina Ledogar to “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton.

Other participants included:

• Olugsgun “Shay” Ajayi, COO, Office of the Mayor, City of Hartford Healthcare
• Ann Marie Colapietro, VP, enterprise distribution manager with Travelers
• Janette Edwards, VP, HHC Central Region
• Stacey Lombardi, VP, Bone & Joint Institute
• Toni Robinson, senior director, Ayer Neuroscience Institute
• Stephanie Saucier, MD, director of the Women’s Heart Wellness Program and medical director, cardiac rehabilitation
• Andrew Turczak, PA-C, VP, Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute
• Vince Wright, VP, revenue cycle

Each dance routine was set to the soundtrack of an 80s movie from “Don’t You Forget About Me” to “Let’s Go Crazy.”