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.