When: Saturday, June 13, 2009

Where: Flight Museum at Love Field

Tickets Go on sale May 2009

 

Keep checking this website for updated info on 2009 Dancers throughout the year


Meet Our Host, Emcee and Dancers

HOST 2008-2009:
Preston Pearson played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 years. He began his career with the Baltimore Colts in 1967, was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970 and finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys from 1975-1980. Preston played in five (5) Superbowls (with 3 different teams) during his 14 year NFL career. He wore the #26 jersey throughout his NFL career.

During his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys, Preston was known as Mr. Third Down.
Preston wrote a book in 1985 entitled "Hearing The Noise" about his life in the NFL - published by William Morrow & Co. Preston designed and marketed the "original" Dallas Cowboys Bandana that was introduced to the fans at Texas Stadium during the 1979 season.
He utilized his creative expertise to design the “Smiles Caricatures” program for 7-11 Southland Corporation. They were caricatures of several Dallas Cowboys players and coaches that were displayed on the 7-l1 Big Gulp cups. The Collector’s Cup Program was so well received in the DFW area - it was then expanded to several other NFL teams and players.
Preston is a native of Freeport, Illinois and graduated from the University of Illinois. He played basketball for the Illini - not football.
Since his retirement from the Dallas Cowboys in 1981, he has been involved in business as a professional sports announcer and sports marketing.
Preston was Co-Host of "Gameday" and "Instant Replay" with Brad Sham on KRLD 1080 in Dallas for 10 years. He hosted the Cowboys Pre and Post Game shows on KTCK 1310 through the '97 NFL Season. Preston produced and hosted several on-site Cowboys Talk and Interview shows at Dallas area restaurants from 1992-2001. During the 2002 and 2003 season
he hosted a weekly Sports Entertainment show on Fox Sports Radio.
Preston is President and 50% partner of Pro-Style Associates, a sports promotion and marketing firm located in Dallas. Pro-Style Associates coordinates and books professional athletes for personal appearances and speaking engagements for business and corporate events. Preston started his promotions company in 1981 after his NFL retirement.

EMCEE 2008-2009:
For close to a quarter of a century Scott Murray was the award-winning Sports Director and Anchor at NBC, Dallas/Ft. Worth. During his three decades of television sports, Scott was named Sportscaster of the Year 17 times by various news/media organizations. He won back to back Emmy Awards for Best Sportscaster in 2000 and 2001 and was the recipient of the prestigious Silver Circle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2002. Although Scott retired from television news in 2003, Scott remains very active in the media world as a published author, Whatever It Takes (Life Lessons Learned through Sports Lessons), a sought-after keynote and motivational speaker, a television and radio talk show host, a commercial spokesperson, and, as Chairman/CEO of his own communications company, Murray Media. Scott is a member of the board of directors of the Lone Star Film Festival and has been a longtime member of the Sigma Delta Chi Journalism Fraternity and AFTRA, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Scott serves on the advisory board or board of directors of a number of sports organizations. Scott was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame as an honorary member in 1992. Scott stays very active in the community as a volunteer, serving on the board or advisory board of many civic, charitable and non-profit organizations, including his own “Scott Murray Foundation: Lifting Spirits... Building Dreams.” He was inducted into the Philanthropy World Hall of Fame in 1996. Scott’s commitment to community has resulted in his being honored on many occasions with numerous awards, and the honor he cherishes most, Father of the Year Award.

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DANCERS 2008:

Joe Avezzano was a long time Dallas Cowboy Special Team Coach and member of three World Championship Teams. He is also a three time NFL Special Team Coach of the Year! He was also the Head Coach of the Dallas Desperados. He currently owns three sports themed restaurants: Suede Bar and Grill in Dallas, Hat Tricks Bar and Grill in Lewisville and Coach Joe's Sports Grille in Frisco. Joe can be heard doing the local pre game and post game Cowboy analysis on ESPN and Sunday night Sports Special with Dale Hansen on WFAA Channel 8 during the Dallas Cowboy football season. He has participated in many fund raisers for the Texas Special Olympics with son Tony.


Brian Cuban
is a Dallas Attorney working for Mark Cuban Companies doing whatever that happens to entail at any given moment. Brian is also the Executive Director of the Mark Cuban Foundation currently administering The Fallen Patriot Fund. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvannia. He attended Mt. Lebanon High School and received his undergraduate degree from Pennsylvannia State University. He received his law degree from The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania (inactive) and Texas. He has two brothers, Mark Cuban and Jeff Cuban. He also has a dog named Peanut and a cat named Useless.

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A Dallas/Fort Worth market veteran, Kristine Kahanek was most recently a meteorologist with ABC affiliate WFAA-TV before joining CBS 11 News.
Kristine grew up on a horse farm near Columbus, Ohio and lived there until she was 12. Her mother, an equestrian, stayed home with Kristine and her younger brother, Brian. Her father, then a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, was the person who sparked Kristine's interest in weather. Once he retired, the family moved to Boerne, Texas.
Previously, Kristine worked at KVUE-TV in Austin and KXXV-TV in Waco. With a degree in atmospheric science, she began her career at the National Weather Service in Austin. She is certified by both the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association. She was also named "Best Meteorologist" by D Magazine in 2005.


Ron Kirk
joined Vinson & Elkins as a Partner in February of 2005. He was a Partner with Gardere, Wynne, Sewell from January 1994 until January 2005. Ron’s principal area of practice is public finance and public policy. He served as Mayor of the City of Dallas from 1995 until 2001, and in 1994 he served as the Texas Secretary of State. He has over 20 years of experience as legislative counsel for numerous public and private entities. He is a former Dallas Assistant City Attorney for Governmental Relations and served as aide to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for Brinker International, Dean Foods Company and PetSmart, Inc., and he is a National Trustee for the March of Dimes. Ron received his B.A. from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas.


Meagan Norris
graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts from Pepperdine University in Malibu CA. After college she relocated to Dallas TX to work with her family on the hit television show Walker Texas Ranger. She was blessed not only to have an acting role on the show but also worked in the casting department. She went on to help cast shows such as the ABC pilot A House Divided and season two and three of the popular Fox drama Prison Break. After working in production for a couple of years her uncle, Chuck Norris, asked her to join his team in creating a mixed martial arts event for television. She coordinated the first three events at the Dallas Convention Center, Mohegan Sun Casino and the New Orleans in Las Vegas. She loved working with her family but missed pursuing her passion, acting. Meagan is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and is represented by Linda McAlister Talent here in Dallas. She has worked on various film and television shows, notably, Fox’s Gilmore Girls and CBS’s Walker Texas Ranger. As a dog owner and animal lover it is a joy for her to participate in this event. Her dog Lola will be proud!

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Carolyn Shamis is the Owner and Broker for Carolyn Shamis Realtors, a highly successful boutique real estate firm. With over 34 years of experience in the Dallas real estate market, Carolyn continues to be the expert in Dallas ’ luxury lifestyle. With energy and personality to spare, Carolyn has never been one to shy away from the limelight and her many television appearances, including the TLC Channel’s series “Sheer Dallas”, The Dating Game and Billionaires Car Club, have helped make her a Dallas celebrity. She has been featured in hundreds of articles ranging from The Dallas Morning News’ “Living At The Top” to Southwest Airlines Magazine. Carolyn was born and raised in McComb , Mississippi and lived in Los Angeles , graduating from Woodbury College , before making Dallas her home. Her 17 year old Welsh Cardigan Corgi, Merlin, is her constant companion and the love of her life. Carolyn spends her personal time enjoying her love of people, health, music, working out, walking and is a member of the President’s Advisory Council of the SPCA of Texas. Her unyielding goal in life is to live her motto: “To Thine Own Self Be True”.


Nita Wiggins
has worked in the Dallas-Fort Worth television market since 1999 as a sports reporter for FOX 4. She grew up as a Cowboys fan in Augusta, Ga. At age 8, had the dream of moving to Dallas and doing exactly what she does. Her primary responsibility at FOX 4 is covering the Cowboys, but she also covers the Mavs, Stars, and NASCAR racing. She previously worked in Seattle and Memphis and 4 other TV markets. She earned BA in Communications from Augusta State
University in ‘86 and established a communications scholarship at ASU in ’95. In ’07 initiated a Study Abroad from ASU to Senegal in West Africa. In May ’07 delivered commencement address at ASU—a speech titled “Getting Rid of the S-word”. She became an international traveler in covering the Tour de France 4 times and completed a degree in French in ’07 in order to speech with people in their language while traveling overseas. Dancing has been her number one hobby. As a teenager she danced in fashion shows.
She is a dog lover, and currently she’s mom to a 13-year old, black and white Shih Tzu named Princess Pu Yi (pronounced pooh yee) or Pepper

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J.D. Ryan
has been a member of “The Russ Martin Show” on Live 103.5 FM for the past 8 years. A native Texan, he was born in Fort Worth and grew up in Dallas. J.D. has been on the radio in DFW since 1981. He and Russ created, produced and starred in their own entertainment show called "HOT TKTS" on FOX TV from 1989-1992, and J.D. hosted "Billy Bob's Country" in syndication for two years from the World's Largest Honky Tonk in Fort Worth. A licensed pilot since the age of 17, J.D. loves to fly gliders and power planes and even took the wheel of the Goodyear Blimp twice for promotional events. His top flying moment was in 2003 flying in a media ride with the Blue Angels before a show at Alliance Airport. When he's not flying above it all, J.D. loves to scuba dive. His last scuba trip was marked by a 10-minute swim with a large sea turtle in St. Thomas USVI at Christmas 2007....the video is on YouTube!