Madison’s Celebrity Dance Competition
Step into the spotlight!
Learn a show‑stopping salsa.
Dance for a cause in Madison’s Dancing‑with‑the‑Stars‑style Celebrity Dance Challenge at Rhumba 4 Rainbow.
Past Celebrity Dancers
Relive the 2025 Celebrity Dance Competition
Tabitha Bland — Weekend Anchor & Reporter, WMTV 15 News — Winner
Chloe Morrissey — Weekend Anchor & Reporter, WKOW 27 News
Kristine Rodriguez — Deputy Sheriff, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office
Danessa Bishop — VP, Market Manager & Branch Strategy, Park Bank
Melissa Ratcliff — State Senator, Wisconsin State Senate
Karina Araujo Sierra — First Grade Teacher, Nuestro Mundo School
2024
Phoebe Murray — Anchor & Reporter, WMTV 15 News
Gregg Potter — Executive Director, International Institute on Collaboration
TeKema Balentine — Adolescent Psychiatry Nurse / 2019 Miss Black USA, Meriter Hospital
Kristine Rodriguez — Deputy Sheriff, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department
Andy Hoerst — Research Specialist, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Norma Gallegos — Workforce & Career Pathways Manager, Centro Hispano
2023
Sara Alvarado — Writer, Speaker & Entrepreneur, Independent
Emily Feirer — Police Officer, Madison Police Department
Marlene Compean — Great Day Dental
John Speros — Instructor, Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Nicole Sandoval — Community Engagement Coordinator, Madison College
Erica Reid‑Dixon — Naval Officer, U.S. Navy
2022
Megan Paskey — Police Officer, Madison Police Department
Steve Redmond — Fire Lieutenant, Madison Fire Department
Areli Estrada — Executive Director, Affordable Dental Care
Nicole Sandoval — Community Engagement Coordinator, Madison College
Peter Kraus — Owner & Trainer, Peter Kraus Fitness / Former Contestant, The Bachelorette
Dana Fulton — Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
2019
Leah Linscheid — Morning Anchor, News 3 Now This Morning / WISC‑TV News 3 Now
Rebecca Ribley — Anchor & Executive Producer, Wake Up Wisconsin / WKOW 27 News
Dana Fulton — Meteorologist, WMSN Fox 47 News
Alexandra Nieves Reyes — Police Officer, Madison Police Department
Cawie Buie — Firefighter & EMT, Madison Fire Department
Meghan Reistad — Anchor & Reporter, The Morning Show / WMTV NBC 15 News
2018
Rachel Werner — Digital Editor, BRAVA Magazine
Hunter Saenz — Reporter, WKOW Channel 27 News
Zulma Franco — Police Officer, Madison Police Department
Kymtana Woodly — Investigator, City of Madison Department of Civil Rights
Our Professional Dance Partners
Rhumba 4 Rainbow’s celebrity dance competition wouldn’t be possible without these talented teachers and dancefloor partners. Celebrity contestants are partnered with a professional dance instructor from the best dance studios in our area. Learn more about them below.
2727 W Beltline Hwy, Madison, WI 53713
Take the first step on your Wisconsin dance journey, and discover a new world of joy, confidence, health, energy and fun! Their friendly staff will help dancers of any skill level find fun and confidence on the dance floor.
1410 Greenway Cross, Madison, WI 53713
Come learn with the best at Madison Ballroom Company. All of their dance instructors are personable with extensive knowledge to teach dancing at all levels. Whether your focus is technique, flexibility or you’re just looking for a new way to work out, you can find it at Madison Ballroom Company.
5117 Verona Rd, Fitchburg, WI 53711
After answering a few questions about your goals, aspirations, and the look and feel you’d like to have, you'll be guided through a few basics by one of their highly-trained instructors. You'll start to learn to dance on your very first lesson, and leave with a plan of action. Arthur Murray has developed a fool-proof method to help you learn to dance the quickest way possible and achieve your goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Celebrity Dance Challenge brings the fun and flair of Dancing with the Stars to Rhumba 4 Rainbow. Couples—each featuring a celebrity paired with a professional instructor—perform a 1.5- to 2-minute salsa routine. Any salsa style! Music must be traditional Latin salsa. Lifts, dips, shines, and creative storytelling make this a joyful, bold, and uniquely Rhumba 4 Rainbow experience!
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Judging follows a simple 1–10 scoring format. After each performance, judges reveal their score cards. Total score = the sum of all judges’ numbers. Highest score wins; next highest places second, and so on.
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Creativity of routine (including costumes + theme)
Difficulty and execution of choreography
Musicality and interpretation
Partner chemistry
Attitude, presence, and styling
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Tie for 1st: A one‑minute dance‑off to the same song; judges then rank the couples. Tie for 2nd or below: Tie stands; couples share the placement.
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Celebrity dancers are paired with a partner from a local studio to receive personalized coaching and choreography.
The Rainbow Project covers 6 dance lessons.
Partner studios may donate additional lessons.
Any extra lessons are at the celebrity dancer’s discretion and cost
A costume/shoe stipend is available with receipts
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We would love to hear you would like to see take the floor. You can email us at rhumba@therainbowproject.net to nominate a dancer. But we can’t make any guarantees!
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Email our event coordinator at rhumba@therainbowproject.net with any questions.