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Gino Lamont fronts the 3rd Annual Dancing with the Desert Stars while co-host Randy Roberts “drags” dancers through the Green Room

Toni Basil, “Legacy” Perez, and Aiden Turner will judge this year’s dancers

PALM SPRINGS, CA, October 1, 2013 – KMIR-6 anchorman Gino Lamont knows he’ll have to be on his toes as host of Dancing with the Desert Stars on Friday, November 22 at the Renaissance Palm Springs, to benefit the 100 Women program at Desert AIDS Project. His co-host, drag performer Randy Roberts, will be on his toes as well … but he’ll have the benefit of those stilettos he wears so well!

Regardless of either one’s footwear, Randy will be backstage chatting up the nervous dance competitors for all to see on video monitors in the ballroom. That’s where Gino will be, introducing the dancers to a panel of judges who each know a thing or two about tearing up a dance floor. 

Although she has had a long career as a dancer, choreographer and actor, working on TV shows like “Hullabaloo” and hit films like “Easy Rider” and “American Graffiti,” Toni Basil is probably most well-known for the massive hit “Mickey” in 1982. Her video for that song was the first to incorporate synchronized dancing and features an opening stunt with a cheerleader jumping through the center of a human pyramid – thought to be sufficiently dangerous that it is now illegal in competition. Basil appeared in the video wearing her uniform from her head varsity cheerleader days at Las Vegas High School. 

Known for his inspired freestyle, versatility, drive, and willingness to tackle all styles of dance, Jonathan “Legacy” Perez is one of the most sought after dancers in entertainment today. Attracting the attention of the industry’s top directors, choreographers, and artists, he has appeared in 2011’s “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” and more than a dozen more films and TV shows. A finalist and fan favorite on the hit TV show “So You Think You Can Dance,” Perez has danced on-stage behind performers including Rihanna, Toni Braxton, The Black-Eyed Peas, and others.

Rounding out the Dancing with the Desert Stars judging panel is British-born heartthrob Aiden Turner who appeared in the 10th season of the ABC-TV smash “Dancing with the Stars” with dance partner Edyta Sliwinska. His early TV roles included the MTV teen soap “Undressed” and the British hits “East Enders” and “Crossroads.” American audiences will know him best for playing Aidan Devane on the long-running soap “All My Children,” a role that earned him a Daytime Emmy Award nomination and being ranked in TV Guide’s “Soap’s Sexiest Men” countdown in 2008.

Save the date – Friday, November 22 – and get your tickets now for this magical evening of fun, friendship, and fundraising to benefit the good works of 100 Women at Desert AIDS Project. Cheering sections are already lining up to support the competitor they are sure will dance away with the mirrored ball trophy. 

Make sure to join the fun at the Renaissance Palm Springs, beginning with cocktails at 6:00 PM while your favorite warms-up for the competition at 7:30 on an elevated dance floor, to improve the view for all audience members. Front-row tickets are available for $175 – or $1,750 for a table of ten. Premium tickets/tables are available for $125/$1,250 and Preferred at $75/$750. General admission seating is $50/$500. Purchase tickets online at https://www.desertaidsproject.org/ or by calling JP Allen at 760-969-5743.

ABOUT 100 WOMEN AND DESERT AIDS PROJECT 
100 Women meets the needs of women and children whose lives are affected by HIV or AIDS. They do this be funding gynecological services like pap smears, underwriting mammograms, and helping ensure healthcare accessibility. Desert AIDS Project serves people living with HIV and AIDS by providing comprehensive support, including medical care, case management, and social services, like food, housing, and counseling. D.A.P. also offers free and confidential HIV testing at a number of locations throughout the communities it serves. To learn more about Desert AIDS Project, please call 760-323-2118, visit www.desertaidsproject.org  or find them on Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube

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