Trigger Warning
On November 18, 2016, the Dreamland Ballroom will host its 7th Annual Dancing into Dreamland dance competition and fundraiser. The annual fundraiser is to generate funds for improvements and renovations to the historic 100-year-old building located at 800 West Ninth Street.
The current fundraising campaign is to make Taborian Hall accessible to all by installing an elevator which would be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. The non-profit group, The Friends of Dreamland needs more than $700,000 to achieve their goal to have an addition and elevator added to the century old historic site.
This year’s fundraiser will begin at 7 pm and last until 10 pm. Celebrity judges will choose the overall winner of the dance competition while patrons will vote for their favorite dancers to receive the People’s Choice Award by text vote.
A silent auction will have unique items up for grabs during the event. Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres along with drinks and an hour long free dance will be open for any and all guests to cut a rug. This year’s special appearance is by Amy Garland.
The Dreamland Ballroom is housed on the third floor of Taborian Hall built in 1916. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and hosted such musical legends as Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong. Louis Jordan, Redd Foxx and a host of other legendary artists throughout the years.
In the 1970s through the 1980s the building fell into disrepair and was rescued in 1991 by Arkansas’ FlagandBanner.com’s owner Kerry McCoy. The Friends of Dreamland non-profit was formed in 2009 and has been working to save and restore this piece of Little Rock’s cultural history ever since. A feature documentary is set for tentative release in 2017. The film was directed by Gabe Mayhan and produced by Tanisha Jo Smith with funding from the Public Broadcasting Corporation and the Arkansas Educational Television Networks.
The Friends of Dreamland invite the public to attend; general admission tickets are available for $69 or entire tables beside the dance floor are available. Patrons can order tickets online at http://www.dreamlandballroom.com/did2016.html. Dress in party attire the night of the event.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Friday, November 18 at 800 West 9th Street, Little Rock, Ark. Entrance is on the State Street side of the building.