‘Dancing with the Stars’ will perform at Mershon Auditorium in Columbus Friday. Credit: Courtesy of Dave Redelberger
The live tour of reality TV competition “Dancing with the Stars,” which pairs celebrities with professional dancers, is stopping at Mershon Auditorium Friday.
Among the celebrites taking part is Stephen Nedoroscik, a bronze medalist in gymnastics from the 2024 Summer Olympics. Nedoroscik is the first male gymnast to compete on “Dancing with the Stars,” and will serve as a special guest co-host for the performance — which begins at 7:30 p.m. — according to the Mershon Auditorium’s website.
Dave Redelberger, director of communications for Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment, said Nedoroscik’s rise to fame since the Olympics is what ultimately landed him in the role as co-host.
“He became this unavoidable figure during the Olympics where everyone was rooting him on and cheering for him,” Redelberger said.
In addition to Nedoroscik, performers will include professional dancers Emma Slater, Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Britt Stewart, Daniella Karagach, Gleb Savchenko, Pasha Pashkov and Rylee Arnold, according to the event’s webpage.
With performances from the participating dancers, Redelberger said attendees will be engaged by the routines and costumes they’re used to seeing only on a small screen.
“You are seeing these people you watched on TV week after week compete, and [you] get to see them up close,” Redelberger said. “Routines are great and the costumes are amazing and it is just so cool when you get to see your favorite TV show brought to life in front of you.”
Jessica Alvey, a third-year in marketing and fan of the show since sixth grade, will be in attendance Friday, marking the third time she’s seen one of the show’s live tour stops..
Alvey said one of the most exciting aspects of the live tour show is how different it is from the TV show.
“It’s the professional dancers who are on the show, and maybe one or two of the celebrities who are on it the past season, and they are kind of just performing dances for you that they have prepared,” Alvey said. “And then sometimes they interact with the audience, so it is very different from the show, but it is fun for fans who are really into the show to get to meet them after and watch them dance, whereas the show is teaching the celebrities how to dance.”
Alvey said she’s also looking forward to a different cast of dancers from what she’s watched on TV.
“Each year they do different dances and have different sets of people there, so I am excited to see the new people,” Alvey said.
Tickets for the live show can be purchased via Ticketmaster — with prices beginning at roughly $110 — or the Schottenstein Center Ticket Office. Though the performance is set to begin at 7:30 p.m., doors are scheduled to open at 6:30 p.m. For more information on the show, visit the event’s webpage.
