This post was provided by News Now Warsaw

By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — Other than doing some acrobatics on a trampoline as a kid, Ben Rice was never serious about dancing until given a chance to perform in Dancing with the Stars for Charity.

And he took full advantage of the opportunity.

With support from his partner, Hayley Horlick, two student choreographers, Lexi Reece and Kenna Miller as well as some sidework at home, Rice led their team,Totally Rad to victory Saturday night in front of nearly 900 people at the Warsaw High School Performing Arts Center as he and Horlick took the the top prize against seven other teams, scoring 59 of 60 points from judges in the fourth annual charity event.

Rice and Horlick, dressed in red workout attire, finished the show with an energized performance and finished it by throwing fake cash in the direction of three judges amid wild applause from the audience.

“It’s been five months of really hard work that I wasn’t expecting,” Rice said. “But the choreographers took it very seriously, and they’re so talented,”Rice said while standing with his wife and kids on stage afterward.

He gave plenty of credit to the choreographers.

“The program here at the school, I wasn’t familiar with it, and now that I am, it’s beyond belief the amount of work the girls put into it,” he said.

Their first dance included a musical medley, and they finished  with the song, “24K Magic.”

“I don’t know if it was the song or if it was just the energy,” Rice said. “That’s what we tried to bring the entire time was a bunch of energy.”

Each team was working to benefit a charity, and Rice — a former “Big” with Big Brothers Big Sisters years ago — was happy to assist the BBBSS of Northeast Indiana.

Each charity shared in the night’s receipts from ticket sales, and BBBS received an additional $500 thanks to a donation from H&R Block of Warsaw.

Rice called the opportunity to help BBBS a “full circle” moment.

In addition to critiques from three judges, performances were also calculated based on only votes from the audience as well as a secret judge, which was a new twist this year.

Totally Rad now qualifies to return next year in a contest pitting them against other previous champs of Dancing with the Stars for Charity.

Finishing second was Felonious Fosses (benefiting Bowling Against Bullying), which was led by Shaun Mudd and Kelly Bradley. Chorographers were Chloe Kim and Scarlett Walters.

Finishing third was Vintage Vibes, led by Glenn Hall and Courtney Walters and choreographer Dakota Gardner.

Also new this year was the ‘Above and Beyond Award’ to a student choreographer, in honor of Lee Anne Stewart, a longtime dance instructor who died earlier this year.

Laicey Snyder was this year’s recipient of the award.

Dancing with the Stars for Charity was sponsored by 107.3 WRSW, Willie 103.5, Warsaw Performing Arts Center.