Relay for Life teams around the valley are coming up with some very creative ways to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Next Saturday, the United We Stand team will give Pahrump a chance to see a local version of Dancing with the Stars.

The event will take place beginning at 7 p.m. June 27 at the Maverick Saloon and Dance Hall on Mesquite Avenue.

The format will not be exactly like the well-known TV show. In this version, the dancers will choose their own dancing style and the competition only runs one round. In some instances, the professional dancers have chosen their partner versus having a partner assigned to them.

The celebrity dancers are Sharon Cahlan, of Cahlan Law Office and Cahlan West LLC, who will dance the fox trot.

Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo will be performing a Latin paso double and Tim Hafen goes country with a western free-style dance.

B.J. Hetrick-Irwin will dance to a waltz and Jan Jensen, owner of the Maverick will jitterbug the night away.

The Pahrump Nugget General Manager Jeremy Jensen will treat patrons to a fast-paced jive and Nye County Manager Rick Osborne cuts loose with a West Coast swing.

Donna Lamm will grace the stage with her partner in a Latin freestyle.

Most of the professionals are members of the Nevada Silver Tappers and they will be the ones teaching the "Stars." However, Donna Lamm, who owns Donna's School of Dance, and Hetrick-Irwin of the Nevada Silver Tappers are the "stars" teaching their partners.

Contestants were all notified of the competition at the same time. Their practices have been left to the dancers' discretion. So some couples have had more time to practice than others.

Music for the performances will be provided by Jimmy "The DJ," a member of the Valley Cruisers Car Club and emcees will be Maria Mealy-Hurst, host of Community Viewpoint on Channel 41, and Gil "The Collector" Muise.

Jan Jensen donated the Maverick for the event and there will be a cash bar.

Two trophies will be awarded to the dance teams, one for judges choice and one for people's choice. So keep the ticket stub. Patrons will use the ticket stubs, dropping them into monitored containers labeled with the dance teams.

During an intermission, there will be a split pot, or 50/50 raffle

Judges for the event will be Gary Hollis, Karen Jackson, Ken Van Heule, Mitzi Sears and the Pahrump Valley Times' own - Mark Waite.

Walsh said the event will be in honor of Mitz Sears, who is battling cancer. If Sears cannot attend the event, her place at the judges table will be held with her crown and everyone will be invited to dance in her honor.

The United We Stand team is composed of four individual teams, Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, Nevada Silver Tappers, Ms. Senior Golden Years USA and the community of Artesia.

Deborah Walsh, the team chairman organized her group of volunteers to have everything donated for the event so the money raised will be donated entirely to the American Cancer Society.

Tickets for the event are $15 and are available at the Pahrump Valley Times office, Maverick Saloon and Dance Hall and from the dancers.

For more information, call Walsh, 513-6519.