As part of its 55th Anniversary celebration, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (CPRD) hosted its 2025 Dancing With The Denver Stars Gala and honored lifelong educator Anna Jo Garcia Haynes for her lifelong commitment to early childhood education and community service.
The black-tie event was held Saturday, August 23 at the Sheraton Downtown Denver with the theme: From Doo-Wop to Hip-Hop: Celebrating Girl Groups. All proceeds benefit community programs — including the Arts-in-Education program and the Arts-in-Well-Being initiatives.
Anna Jo Haynes was honored as the first recipient of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Legacy Award
This year’s event officially launched the first-ever Cleo Parker Robinson Legacy Award – celebrating “visionary leaders who exemplify artistic excellence, cultural integrity, and community transformation.”
Haynes, 92, has spent a lifetime advocating for early childhood education. She founded Denver’s Mile High Montessori Early Learning Centers in 1972, and was co-founder of the Colorado Children’s Campaign, a Denver non-profit advocacy group supporting legislation that supports the well-being of children and families facing barriers to quality K-12 education.
The CPRD Ensemble opened the 15th Annual Dancing with the Denver Stars gala
Much like the ever-popular ABC-TV show “Dancing With the Stars”, the DWTDS features Denver community leaders paired with CPRD professional dancers who perform choreographed dances.
Although no winner is crowned finest dancer, the event is a major signature fundraiser supporting CPRD training, programs and initiatives.
For the 2025 event all proceeds support paid internships for youth, health and wellness programming, and dance and movement events across the Denver metro area and in rural communities throughout Colorado.
Special thanks to DWTDS Honorary Event Chairs Stacey and Michelle Campbell and Platinum Sponsor: CoBank. Gold Sponsors this year are: Mission Yogurt, Safeway, Southwest Airlines, and Xcel Energy.
The 2025 Gala STARS are:
Mayor Mike Johnston, City and County of Denver
Councilman Darrell Watson, Councilman District 9
Nicole Dorsey, PNC Bank
Jeronimo Villa, US Bank
Michael Sapp, Xcel Energy
Dianne Myles, Human Focused Media
Brian Flores, CBS4
Debbie Brown, Colorado Business Roundtable
Juan Suarez, Southwest Airlines
Kelli Ogunsanya, Delta Dental
Chad Olivier, Lean On Me Consulting Services LLC
Dr. Andre Mansion, Big Haus Consulting, LLC
Paul Adkins, CoBank
Loren Furman, Colorado Chamber of Commerce
2025 DWTDS Dancers Chad Olivier of LOM Consulting Services and Brian Flores, CBS Colorado Anchor
The VIP Reception was sponsored by Mortenson and United Airlines. Mortenson is the general contractor for CPRD’s new 25,000-square-foot expansion to the Shorter AME landmark, 119 Park Ave. West, in the historic Five Points neighborhood.
The 3-story building designed by Fentress Architects will be named the Cleo Parker Robinson Center for the Healing Arts. The new structure will include four new studios, a 240-seat theater, and additional community space. The building is expected to be completed in early 2026.
Meanwhile, the CPRD season inaugural performance starts Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House and features Bolero—a classical piece choreographed by Christopher Huggins and set to Maurice Ravel’s iconic score.
The premiere stars dancer Lisa Johnson-Willingham, a CPRDE Alumna and current Director of the Ailey Extension. Like so many of the Cleo Parker Robinson alumni, Johnson-Willingham has embraced her profession with zeal and commitment: “I express myself through movement,” she says. “Dance is my life. It’s who I am.”
According to organizers, the choreography for Bolero is “a radiant mixture of ballet and contemporary movement.”
CPRD was founded in 1970 and became a 501(c)(3) Not-for-Profit organization in 1974. For tickets, donations and other information please email info@cleoparkerdance.org or call 303-295-1759
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- Cleo Parker Robinson has been a performing arts trailblazer for decades
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- Mizraim Cordero, Director of State & Local Government Affairs for United Airlines, honors CPRD’s 55th Anniversary
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- Mortenson Project Manager Tori Vendegna and Cleo Parker Robinson share a laugh
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- Mortenson Project Manager Tori Vendegna is proud to support CPRD
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- CPRD President/CEO Malik Robinson thanks key sponsors in the VIP Room
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- Tori Vendegna, Dr. Zelda DeBoyes, Andrew Hatch
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- CPRD President/CEO Malik Robinson thanks key sponsors in the VIP Room
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- Elizabeth Erfling, Sara Rubel
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- Tori Vendegna of Mortenson thanks CPRD Board Member Lisa Levin Appel
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- Andrea Andrews, Alicia Eliott
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- Colorado State Sen. Janet Buckner, Barbara Grogan
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- Julie Blanco, Will Booth
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- Friends and supporters attended the luxurious black-tie evening
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- CoBank is the Platinum Sponsor for the 55th Anniversary Gala
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- Elizabeth and Dave Aguilera
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- Michelle Applegate, Naomi Boyd, Holly Baroway
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- More than 700 guests attended the CPRD 55th Anniversary gala
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- Kehiry Castillo, Keylen Villagrana
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- Pat and Kevin Duncan
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- Rev. Timothy Tyler, Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler
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- Ivan and Veronica Burwell with Juno and Kate Lee
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- More than 700 attended the gala this year with several posing before the iconic DWTDS logo
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- The VIP Reception was sponsored by Mortenson and United Airlines
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- 2025 DWTDS Dancers Chad Olivier and Brian Flores
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- This year’s Honorary Chairs are Stacey and Michelle Campbell
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- Trevor and Debbi Brown with Helen Mitchell
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- The gala is a great time to meet new and old friends
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- CPRD Chair Gwen Brewer and President/CEO Malik Robinson get the show started
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- Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and Mizraim Cordero of United Airlines
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- Deb Bose, Aarusini Fernandez
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- Lori and Darryl Collier
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- Ms. Charlie Meyer and René Green, Ms. Colorado Senior America Pageant Administratorn
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- Brian Flores’ kids–Sophie Luke and Julia arrived to show support
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- The evening Emcee Shed G kept the crowd entertained
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- CoBank President & Chief Banking Officer and CPRD Board Member Eric Itambo, welcomed guests
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- Gwen Brewer thanked guests, sponsors, volunteers for their support
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- Cleo Parker Robinson makes a grand entrance to the gala with a standing ovation
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- Special Thanks to the CPRD Board of Directors
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- The 2025 event drew more than 700 guests
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- Committed community support has ensured a lasting legacy
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- Cleo Parker Robinson shares some history of the organization
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- Cleo’s influence and impact can be felt everywhere
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- Cleo Parker Robinson welcomes guests to the party
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- For 55 years, CPRD has used music and dance to build bridges between communities
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- This season CPRD has reached more than 40K audiences through 150 venues statewide
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- This year’s theme was: “From Doo Wop to Hip Hop: Celebrating Girl Bands!”
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- CPRD leads an Ensemble, Youth & Junior Youth Ensembles, a Dance Academy, and International Summer Dance Institute
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- The annual DWTDS event has become one of Denver’s most popular events
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- CPRD has trained hundreds of dancers
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- The CPRD Youth Ensenble opened the gala celebration
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- This year’s theme is: “From Doo Wop to Hip Hop: Celebrating Girl Bands” to
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- The audience provided several standing ovations throughout the evening
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- Let’s Dance!
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- CPRD provides training for all ages
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- Some of Denver’s business, civic, and community leaders make the gala possible
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- A long list of sponsors has made the annual gala among the most popular year after year
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- Special thanks to the registration desk which handled a record crowd
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- Now in its 15th year the annual Dancing with the Denver Stars is a fun-filled event supported by politico and media personalities
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- CoBank served as this year’s Platinum Sponsor
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- Dancing with the Denver Stars is one of the year’s most anticipated annual galas
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- Denver educator Anna Jo Haynes is a pioneer of Denver’s early childhood education
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- Legacy Award recipient Anna Jo Haynes is all smiles
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- Friends help Anna Jo Haynes as she prepares to receive the inaugural CPRD Legacy Award
