Ocean City Today

DiPino wins inaugural 'Dancing with Delmarva's Stars' contest
OCPD chief, her partner score perfect '30' and get standing ovation May 16
LISA CAPITELLI n Staff Writer

PHOTO COURTESY SBYNEWS.COM Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino performs the hustle with her partner, Bill Goeshen, during the inaugural "Dancing with Delmarva's Stars."

(May 22, 2009) Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino is a Dancing Queen. She hustled her way to first place during the inaugural "Dancing with Delmarva's Stars," a dance competition that mimics the popular TV show, "Dancing with the Stars."

The sold-out event, attended by approximately 800 people, took place May 16, at Holloway Hall on the Salisbury University campus. Participants helped raise more than $40,000 for The Wellness Community of Delmarva, a Salisbury-based organization that provides free cancer support, education and hope for people fighting the disease and their families on the Eastern Shore.

"We thought it was something the community would enjoy and that would be successful," said Brynne Moore, director of marketing and special events for the Wellness Community. "We had a phenomenal response. There was a different synergy and air about it from the other fundraisers we've done, and it was a lot of fun also."

PHOTO COURTESY SBYNEWS.COM Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino and her partner, dance instructor Bill Goeshen, hold the trophy they won for their first-place performance during the inaugural "Dancing with Delmarva's Stars" on May 16. The dance competition raised funds for The Wellness Community of Delmarva.

The fourth-generation police officer raised more than $7,000 for the organization, more than any of the 11 other "local celebrities," such as April Brilliant of Froggy 99.9 and Stacy Sakai of WMDT, who participated.

Ocean City's police chief was the final contestant to dance and that was a bit nerve-racking, she said. DiPino admitted she was nervous as she and her partner, dance instructor Bill Goeshen, took the stage to do the hustle to Michael Buble's "Sway." The lights were so bright she couldn't see into the crowd but could hear her family and friends cheering, she said.

Once the music started, however, DiPino's nerves disappeared, she said, and her comfort obviously came through on the dance floor — the three judges awarded the pair perfect "10s" and the crowd offered a standing ovation. DiPino, a police officer since 1985, and her partner were the only pair to get a score of 30.

"I was so excited and surprised to have won. One of the judges said, 'They really did save the best for last,'" DiPino said Tuesday. "It was like nothing I've experienced before. It was a magical night, one I'll never forget for the rest of my life. And the best part, we were doing it for charity."

When DiPino, who had never had dance training, was asked to be a part of the fundraiser, she said many things when through her mind. She said it was an honor to be selected and knew her grandmother Rose would be excited because she loves watching "Dancing with the Stars" on television. DiPino also wanted to participant because there are people in her life who have battled cancer or who are fighting the disease now.

She thought it was a great opportunity to give back to the community as well.

DiPino said she didn't think it would be as much works as it was, learning to do the hustle, selling tickets for the event and raising money, but vowed to give 110 percent. She had 10 to 12 dance lessons at the Ocean City Health & Racquet Club on 61st Street, between early April and mid-May to perfect the routine.

"The first couple of times dancing I had no idea what I was doing, but Bill worked me right through it," she said of her dance instructor.

DiPino also wrote a blog regularly so people could follow her journey.

Moore said the organization was getting together this week to set the date for the second dancing competition. She said organizers want to do it in conjunction with the "Dancing with the Stars" television show on ABC. The next date, she said, would be posted on www.dancingwithdelmarvastars.com next week.