By Megan Brown
“It’s an event like no other,” said Joe Flanagan, a coach in the upcoming dancing with the staff competition on April 11at 7p.m. at Weston Auditorium.
Dancing with the Staff, a spinoff of the hit reality television show, is an event where dance students take part as the “professionals” and the staff are the “celebrities”, based on the roles portrayed on the show.
There is only one dance to be done per team and it is only one night. Teams picked what music and dance they would like to perform as well as their outfits.  This is the first year that this event has ever happened at Fitchburg State University.
Flanagan let it open to all faculty and staff and asked to see who would be interested. Interesting enough, 17 staff members have signed up to participate in the event. From there teachers of the dance club were asked to coach the staff members and whip them into shape for the big event.
The final product now has 9 groups competing in the show on April 11. The coaches and staff have been working hard practicing since right after winter break.
Becky Lindley of Commuter Affairs, one of the staff members competing, predicts the show will be an, “experience and an awesome night.”
Flanagan had never danced before coming to college. He started his sophomore year and is now teaching the Reggae class and apart of 7 other classes. Both Flanagan and Lindley hope this show will continue in years to come, even after Flanagan graduates this spring.
Fitchburg State University offers about 26 classes that are all a part of the dance shows. There are two shows a year both with different choreography, one in the fall and another in the spring.
The show will cost 2 dollars and all proceeds go to the Lupus Foundation and the event is sponsored by the Fitchburg State University Dance Club.