Don Burton is Redding Radio’s operations manager.

Q. How have you prepared for our first practice?

I asked my partner, Julie Correia, the first day I met her, “What can I do to prepare for Dancing with the Stars?” Her answer was, “WORK OUT!”

I was already working out but have started riding my bike to work and have taken some “Group Power” classes at Sun Oaks Tennis and Fitness to build up more strength and endurance.

Q. What is your previous dancing experience?

I’ve done the drunk white guy dance a few times before

Q. Do you have a recurring Dancing with the Stars nightmare?

I only dream of rainbows and butterflies.

Q. Which couple do you think will be the toughest to beat, and why?

I think the previous winner, Kathy Babcock, with Les Baugh, might be tough to beat, as well as Chita Johnson and Logan Grimes.

Q. Would you like to share a before-practice message for your professional dance partner?

Get ready for some serious hard to work to make me a dancer!

With that said, I’m the best student you’ll ever have. Tell me what to do, and I’ll practice it until I get it right!

Q. What’s your winning strategy?

Partial nudity!

Q. Have you had any moments when you’ve had cold feet?

I’ve had a few nerves because it’s totally new to me, but I’m so ready to be on the stage to dance.

I can’t wait.

Q. Anything else you’d like to say about this event?

Hats off to Staci Bertagna for coming up with the idea and following through.

I’m proud to be a part of an event that will raise money for Plus One Mentors and Shasta Women’s Refuge!

I’m still looking for my dancing shoes and my groove.

Once I find them, I’ll be ready to go!

Julie Correia is Don Burton’s professional dance partner.

I just graduated from Foothill High School and am going to be attending UC Santa Barbara this fall. I am planning on double majoring in the fields of dance and communications for television broadcasting. My parents are Ann and Larry Correia, and I have a younger sister, Michelle, who will be a sophomore at Foothill next year. I have a dog, a horse, and two cats, one of which is extremely large and spoiled.

I enjoy singing, acting, painting, running and volunteering. I was really involved with Key Club and the Link Crew at Foothill.

Q: What’s your dance experience?

I have been dancing since I was 4 years old. I started out with ballet lessons at La Petite, under Margie Ivicevich. I transferred studios at 11 to where I currently take lessons, the Redding Dance Centre. I am under the direction of Deborah Larsen. There I began to add styles — tap, modern and jazz. I was a dancer in Foothill’s production of Club Cougar all four years of high school and choreographed “Encore” of the finale of “Sing Sing Sing” for the past two years.

Q: Do you have a recurring Dancing with the Stars nightmare?

My recurring nightmare is that I am onstage and blank with my choreography during the waltz. This results in causing my partner to trip over me because I stop dancing and he is continuing on. Then I fall off the stage.

Q: What couple do you think will be the hardest to beat, and why?

I think Chita and Logan will be the hardest to beat because I have a feeling that Chita will have a lot of people there supporting her from work and friends from all over the state. Plus, people see her on a daily basis on the news and are familiar with her, so she will have much popularity. The winner is based on popularity. However, Kathy and Les have an advantage because Kathy is the choreographer and is used to creating dances, and she won last year!

Q: What’s your plan to help your partner dance well?

My plan is to start off with a friendship with Don. I want him to feel as comfortable as possible and enjoy this experience. Knowing this, we will be able to accomplish a lot more and work in an environment that is fun. It’s all about having fun and living in the moment. I will work on frame and posture early on as well. Choreography comes next, and I will spend a lot of time on performing because you can have the steps, but it is what you put into the movements that make the dances memorable and entertaining.

Q: What advice do you have for your partner, especially since he might have limited dance experience?

My advice to Don is to have fun and be ready to work! I know he is going to do well, and as long as he puts his personality into the dances he is going to be just fine. You can look like you are having a blast performing and mess up the choreography; as long as you look like you are enjoying what you are doing, people will watch your facial expressions instead of your feet.

Q: Anything else you’d like to say?

I feel honored to be a part of this experience and am so excited for this opportunity. Vote for Don Burton and Julie Correia!