By Sharon Savoy - World Exhibition Dance Champion and published author of “Ballroom!

For the past four decades, the Ohio Star Ball has delivered stellar competition, a spectacular venue, and unsurpassed entertainment at its annual showcase in Columbus, Ohio. This year OSB celebrates its 40th anniversary, and once again organizer Sam Sodano has pulled out all the stops for the event's latest edition on Nov. 17-19.

Watch the 2017 Ohio Star Ball LIVE on FloDance!

Headlining both Friday and Saturday evening is Linda Eder, a 1988 Star Search winner, and Broadway chanteuse whose vocal style is highly influenced by Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand.

Also performing on Friday and Saturday night is a cavalcade of “Timeless” former champions who will take us down a road of nostalgia and show us how fine wine gets better with age. 

The list of performers for Friday evening includes:

Dariusz & Jolanta Mosteika   

Pierre Alliare & Mireille Veilleux   

Artem Plakhotnyi & Inna Berlizyeva   

Igor Pilipenchuk & Polina Pilipenchuk  

Alain Doucet & Anik Jolicoeur   

Decho Kraev & Bree Watson 

Ricky Bentzen & Albina Habrie  

Dan Rutherford & Nicole Carroll-Rutherford  

Evgeny Dyachenko & Inna Ivanenko    

Ilya Reyzin & Amanda Reyzin   

Mark Brock & Candy McKenzie 

The performers for Saturday evening are:

Eugene Katsevman & Maria Manusova 

Gary McDonald & Diana McDonald  

Bill Sparks & Kimberley Mitchell   

Delyan Terziev & Boriana Deltcheva   

Rufus Dustin & Marianne Nicole  

David Hamilton & Olga Foraponova Wright 

Edward Simon & Michele Officer   

Slawek Sochacki & Marzena Sochacki   

Toni Redpath & Michael Mead

The special “Timeless” performances are being organized by Michael Chapman along with elaborate decorations including a massive 20-by-24-foot LED screen in Battelle Hall.

OSB is one of the largest Pro/Am competitions, not only in North America but also in the world today.

A highlight at OSB is the culmination of the World Pro-Am Dancesport series. After a year of over 90 competitions, dancers accumulate points to qualify for the Team Match finale of the World Pro-am Dancesport Series.  Don’t forget to bring your thunder sticks for this fun sporting event. 

In conjunction with the Fordney Foundation, there’s a new category of the Dancesport Series Lineup – the Junior and Youth Dancesport series. The grand finale is going to be held at OSB with an overall Junior prize purse from the Fordney Foundation totaling $25,000. 

On Saturday night, awards for Top Studio, Top Student, and Top Teacher are distributed. First prize for the Top Teacher is $30,000!  

And then there is the Grand Finale of the Best of the Best Challenge. Qualified Pro/Am winners from 40 events throughout the year as well as the Junior and Youth champions of the Fordney Foundation will battle it out for Top Honors and the opportunity to give an encore performance. 

Don’t forget to visit the lower level of the Columbus Convention Center and discover the Ohio Star Ball Collegiate Dancesport Challenge, hosting collegiate ballroom competitors from 47 different colleges and universities. 

Need a diversion? Visit Level 2 and shop 'til you drop! Over 40 vendors will tempt you with their dazzling designs of dresses, shoes, and jewelry. And while you're spending, you’re earning chances to win two double packages at the official OSB raffle.

Want to improve your dancing? Take advantage of world-class coaches and attend the Ohio Star Ball Dance Camp held on Friday and Saturday and learn from leading professionals in the industry today.

How do you keep track of all this activity? The OSB Team keeps you informed with the Ohio Star Ball newsletter, which you will find under your door every morning. The newsletter will recap the results of the previous day's events, let you know what's coming up on the schedule, and even give you the dinner menu selected for that night! And while you're in your room, tune in to Channel 12 and watch "Championship Ballroom Dancing!" With shows dating all the way back to 1984, you'll get to watch many of today's judges and officials in their competitive days. 

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share in the excitement of OSB’s 40th anniversary!

How To Watch

ON TV: Now available on Roku and Apple TV 4

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