Thank you to everyone that attended, supported and were a part of IT Takes Two! 2023! The 15th annual Dancing with the Stars-style competition and Gala Benefit, held May 13 at Tenk West Bank welcomed some 240 people who reveled in the party like no other! They, along with all those who voted online for their favorite celebrity pairings, have helped GroundWorks to continue to create and present groundbreaking contemporary dance performances and life-enriching educational and outreach programs all across Northeast Ohio.
This year’s celebrity Grand Champion was Randy Ruttenberg, Founder and Principal of Fairmount Properties who performed a tap number with GroundWorks dancer Madison Pineda. The Fan Favorite award went to Conor M. Coakley, Senior Vice President at CRESCO l Cushman + Wakefield, who performed a multi-styled dance number with GroundWorks dancer Ahna Bonnette.
Photos by Mark Horning and Andrea Turner.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
2023 Celebrity Dancers and their GroundWorks partners: Patrice Blakemore – Greater Cleveland Partnership and David Shimotakahara Conor M. Coakley – CRESCO l Cushman + Wakefield and Ahna Bonnette Dabney Conwell – Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging and Ahna Bonnette and Matthew Saggiomo Wes Gillespie – ERIEBANK and Victoria Rumzis Leta Obertacz – The Cleveland Foundation and Matthew Saggiomo Randy Ruttenberg – Fairmount Properties and Madison Pineda Edward Stockhausen – Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Teagan Reed
Event Co-Chairs Suzanne Hamilton Kristina Kuprevicius Event Emcees: Amanda Cole, Executive Director, Plexus LGBT & Allied Chamber of Commerce Felton Thomas, Jr., Executive Director, CEO, Cleveland Public Library
GroundWorks Board of Directors Cynthia Dunn, President Brian Marita, Vice President Donna Pacchioni, Treasurer Jonathan Wehner, Secretary Suzanne Hamilton, Amanda Cole, David Shimotakahara, Donna Skurzak, Mary Lou Stricklin, Max Thomas, Marie Calabrese, ,Joanne Clark, Kathryn Karipides, Emeritus Board Director
GroundWorks Advisory Committee: Jack Bialosky, Jr., Jeffrey Epstein, Dan Moulthrop, Howard Parr, Felton Thomas Jr., Ann Zoller
It Takes Two! 2023 Corporate Sponsor:
IT TAKES TWO! 2023 Sponsors and Donors:
Table Sponsors Benjamin Rose Institute The Cleveland Foundation Fairmount Properties Greater Cleveland Partnership Judson Senior Living Gold Table Donors Joanne & Richard Clark The Coakley Family Cynthia Dunn & Dale Cuthbertson Donna & Joe Pacchioni Mary Lou Stricklin Amy Whitacre
Silver Table Donors
Patrice & Ed Blakemore
Marie & Len Calabrese
Dabney Conwell
Agnes Gund
It Takes Two! 2023 Event Staff Chuck Karnak, Technical Director Beth Rutkowski, Co-Event Manager Sydney Warren, Co-Event Manager Joan Meggitt, Stage Manager Jan Wolf, Assistant to the Stage Manager Janet Bolick & Margaret Ruble, Costumes & Wardrobe
It Takes Two! 2023 Event Volunteers: Gerry Antonucci, Sally Antonucci, Morgan Ashley, Sara Chapman, Maria Pokrandt, Bob Rutkowski, Sarabeth Rutkowski, Sara Lawrence-Sucato, Catie Young
Special Thanks: Marigold Catering, Moss Stanley & Nitebridge, Brooks Ames and AVS Services.