Dancing to make a difference

MEET THE CHOREOGRAPHER

Tammy Diehn founded “Dancing Like the Stars” in 2019 to bring awareness to mental health and suicide. Diehn contacted Hutchinson dance instructor Kelly Bestul of Kelly’s Dance Academy for ideas on how to make the event a reality. Bestul shared her thoughts and experience with production and dancing, names of choreographers, and even offered to volunteer to coach couples who wanted to compete. Then COVID happened, postponing the event’s launch.

It returned the following year to in-person, and being involved with the fundraiser became personal for Bestul. Her son had been rock climbing in Colorado and suffered severe brain trauma from a fall. Four months later, during COVID, he took his own life.

“I like how compassionate Tammy is with the organization and this fundraiser,” Bestul said. “Attention needs to be brought to suicide. It’s not a choice — taking your life. There’s physiological reasons this is happening. We need to have open dialogue so people can find out what can be done.”

Bestul enjoys working with the couples. “I love it,” she said. “I get people who haven’t danced other than at their own wedding. They come to me with a song and/or a dance they want to do and we start with a few basic steps. We tweak things week to week, changing some things. By the fourth meeting, everything is planned out and the dance just needs to be polished so the couple feels comfortable with it.

“I am surprised what people can accomplish,” she added.

The practice time can be humorous, also. When trying to implement lifting, the wife might say, “There’s no way he’s lifting me!” Bestul explained.

But she believes the experience brings couples together. She’s impressed by the commitment from the couples she’s worked with.

“They’re all in,” she said. “I feel they grow together and become stronger. I feel blessed to work with them.”

THE COUPLES

Two couples Bestul worked with this year are Paul and Heather Wright of Hutchinson, and Clint and Brandy Zentner of Litchfield.

When Paul and Heather Wright were contacted by Tammy Diehn to participate in “Dancing Like the Stars,” they said “no” at first. She asked them to think about it, telling them she would call back a few days later.

Paul and Heather have been very active in the community with their involvement with 4-H, FFA, Wings McLeod and Paul as county commissioner. After the initial conversation with Tammy, they found out more about 2BContinued and how involved the organization was with the schools and youth. Since youth development is so important to them, when Tammy called back the second time, the couple emphatically said “yes.”

“Kelly has been wonderful to work with,” Paul said. “We don’t dance, but with her patience and guidance we’ve been coming along.”

“The first night we went to our class, Kelly was so careful,” Heather continues. “She started us out with a few simple steps. Over time, she would add more. Eventually, we found we could get through the whole dance. Now, we’re perfecting.”

The Wrights have found they’ve learned a lot more about mental health and suicide from survivor’s stories they’ve heard. When shopping for outfits for their dance, the person helping them shared her story of her father’s suicide.

“It’s important to talk about it (suicide),” Heather shares. “We need to erase the stigma.”

Paul adds, “2BContinued is so wrapped around it. They are so committed to reaching out. We’ve been impressed with Tammy and the crew.”

The Wrights recommend this experience to other couples. “If you get the call — say yes!”

The Zentners like Paul and Heather Wright had no dance experience. Clint Zentner, an engineer at 3M, was managing a booth at the county fair that was situated next to 2BContinued’s event area. Zentner was impressed with the activity around 2BContinued, especially when the “Dancing Like the Stars” group came. The seating filled up when they danced.

During the fair, Zentner was there 10 hours of the day and he got to know many of the 2BContinued people. So did the human resources manager at 3M. Eventually, Diehn reached out to Zentner and his wife, Brandy, asking if they would be interested in participating in “Dancing Like the Stars.”

The couple was hesitant, but, “We looked at each other, and we knew we were going to say ‘yes,’” Brandy said.

“Kelly is amazing,” Brandy said. “She made us feel comfortable right away. She’s fun and patient. We’ve come a long way since we started.”

It took the couple a while to choose their song. Clint came up with it, and they really are happy with the choice.

The couple has enjoyed their time working together on something. Having children, they have sacrificed their alone time as a couple. They feel this experience has reinforced the value of having “date night” and hope to continue having special time together in the future.

Both of them also are discovering the impact mental health and suicide have had on people they know through involvement with this event. Clint, a member of Toastmasters in Hutchinson, has been speaking about 2BContinued at club meetings and has had members share their personal experiences with him.

“I didn’t know how many people I knew that have been affected by this issue,” he said. “It has deepened our friendships. It’s given people an opportunity to talk about it.”

Other couples competing are Chad and Kim Bergstrom, Hector; Josh and Leah Bernau, Norwood Young America; Jesus and Miriam Castillo, Glencoe; Ryan and Joann Dammann, Waconia; Matt and Shauna Gruber, Glencoe; Kyle and Danielle Marti, New Ulm; Bob and Rochelle Nielsen, Green Isle; Anna Panning and Reece Chiriboga, Chaska; McKay and Steph Rodning, Gaylord; and Joe and Beth Sawatzke, Winsted.