The last two years, Artstarts has raised more than $100,000 for local charities. This year, it will at-tempt to increase that number with the annual Dancing with Artstarts event.

Artstarts is a nonprofit organization that helps provide Southern Illinois youth with exposure to the arts. In addition to stage productions, the group has taken kids to New York and to international theater competitions to perform, given out many scholarships and held several art contests.

This is the third year for Dancing with Artstarts. Modeled after the "Dancing with the Stars" television show, nine "celebrity" couples will compete for the coveted disco ball trophy. The audience votes for the best with dollars and the money is divided between the charities.

In addition to the competition, The Marion Junior High Pom Squad will also perform, and there are more than 60 children from the area that will be putting on three big production numbers, as well as a preview of the Artstarts spring 2010 show, "Oliver."

"I love that we get to do a show to make others excited about helping people," said Spencer Gualdoni, 14 of Herrin, who has performed in the show all three years.

This year, the event is subtitled Oh Happy Day, because the production numbers use music from the Whoopi Goldberg film, "Sister Act."

"Each year we try to go in a different direction," said Cindy Hunt, Artstarts' executive director. "I think so many people are inspired by ‘Sister Act.' It's great dance music and music people remember."

Each dance team will dance twice in the evening.

Dancing for Hospice is Jose and Hillary Renda; for The Lighthouse Shelter, Lawrence O'Neill and An-gie Fisher; for the Marion Ministerial Alliance, Judy Bradley and Ron Parks; for The H Group, April Bennett and John Wofford; for Williamson County Child Advocacy Center, State Rep. John Bradley and Kathy Schimpf; for Marion Regional Humane Society, Riley Andreson and David Strathman; for Shawnee Alliance for Seniors, Georgette Verly and Ray Boner; for The Night's Shield, Sabrina Sanders and Josh Kimball; and for Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Southern Illinois, 3-year-old Jacob Daniel Childers and his grandmother, Linda Sargent.

The celebrity judges will be Marion Mayor Bob Butler; Dr. Jerry Felts, Cindy Gibbons, and Laura Sand-ers. The masters of ceremony for the event are "Wild" Bill Glenn of the Southern Illinois Miners and his wife, Tracy.

brent.stewart@thesouthern.com / 618-351-5074