Third annual “Docs” preview

The third annual Dancing with the Docs (DWTD), a Mammoth Hospital fundraiser said to be the best party in town, is fast approaching. The event will be held at Canyon Lodge on October 11, with all proceeds going towards the Hospital’s Athletic Training Program.

“Most people confuse us with personal trainers,” said Mammoth Hospital athletic trainer Mike McMahon. “But we are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehab of injury and sport-related illness.”

Starting in 2013, McMahon and Rachel Jenson, another trainer, began working with the Mammoth High School sports teams and Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard teams, assessing the teenage athletes, diagnosing injuries, and managing rehabilitation. Although athletic trainers are standard in most states, “In California, not many high schools have them or can afford them,” McMahon said.

McMahon and Jenson will increase their time from 10 to 25 hours a week this year in large part because of DWTD.

To support this worthy cause, five teams composed of a Hospital staff member and “local celebrity” will be competing for three awards: Judge’s Award, Most Philanthropic, and People’s Choice.

The Sheet caught up with the five teams this week, their final week of rehearsals.

Team Wild 

Dancers Dr. Woody White and Mono County Board of Supervisors District 5 elect Stacy Corless have been learning their African Jazz dance number from Choreographer Danielle Bauman over hours of rehearsal the last several months.

White, 60, said he’s the oldest doctor to participate. He was “out of excuses” when asked to dance this year, but is glad Team Wild’s routine is “fairly humorous.”

Corless was asked to dance at a post-election celebration with Sheriff-elect Ingrid Braun. Corless looked at Braun and said “I’ll do it if you do it,” and both agreed to dance on the spot.

Corless grew up dancing, taking jazz, tap and ballet as a kid, although she hasn’t been in a dance competition since junior high school. “I’m terrible at things like golf,” Corless said about other charity events in town. “Being able to do a dance is much easier for me to contribute.”

White praised both Bowman and Corless, joking that they’ve been “very understanding of my geriatric condition.”

Team Dynamic Disco Duo 

Mammoth High School Principal Chris Powell and Anesthesiologist Jennifer Dubrawski learn the Disco from choreographer Sarah Lawrence.

“It was an easy decision for me,” Powell said about getting involved. “The athletic training services provided by Mike McMahon through the support of Mammoth Hospital have become an indispensable part of our athletic program.”

When asked, Powell told Greene. “I’m not much of a dancer, but whatever you need, I’ll do it.”

With no dancing experience, Powell said the dancing has been fun. “I’ve done a lot of athletic things so I can learn the steps for one routine,” he said.

Dubrawski also has no dance history, and said, “I just don’t want to look bad. I want to look prepared.”

Dubrawski said their team strategy is performing last. “Everyone will have enough drinks by then,” she quipped.

Team Ooga Booga

Despite that label on the Sierra Wave TV episodes, Jennifer McMahon, a physical therapist at Mammoth Hospital, and Peter Korfiatis, Performance Director for the Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team call themselves “Clay Formations” after choreographer Clay Loy.

McMahon (married to Mike) grew up as an athlete in Mammoth and sees the benefit of the new Athletic Training program. She wanted to dance last year and committed to this year’s event at that time, without knowing that her husband’s program would benefit from this year’s fundraiser.

Having worked with the Physical Therapy clinic at Mammoth Hospital while coaching for the U.S. Ski Team, Korfiatis knew the benefits of preventative care before joining the Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard team in 2012. After noticing lots of “little nagging injuries,” he approached Mammoth Hospital and so began the youth athletic training program.

“There’s been a lot of YouTube research,” McMahon said of her team’s swing dance.

“I’ve done zero dancing in my lifetime. Zero,” Korfiatis said. “But I’m really good at making shit up.”

McMahon said she is aiming to “win it all,” but with limited rehearsal time due to busy schedules, she said, “We’re just going to hammer hard for this last week.”

“Knowing that the audience is not there to see professional dance caliber and really is there to laugh probably with us, I’m okay with that,” Korfiatis said. “Anyone can laugh at me.

Team La Burlona

Sierra Park Dental Clinic Dentist Robert Jungman is paired up with 4th grade Mammoth Elementary School teacher Chelsea Glende to perform a Spanish dance.

“I’m not very good in front of people. With kids, yes, but not adults,” Glende said about performing. “But it was something I couldn’t pass up; something different from the normal.”

“We didn’t get as many rehearsals in as we would have liked, but I’ve been very pleased with our progress so far,” Jungman said.

Although Jungman went to a couple of meetings of the UCLA Swing Club while in dental school, he has “no official dance experience to speak of” and was talked into participating by last year’s Dentist participant, Dr. Bishop.

Glende’s only dance experience is Zumba classes. Although winning an award would be nice, Glende said, “that’s not the point. We just want to support the Hospital.”

Team Gender Bender 

With a male nurse and a female Sheriff-elect, OR nurse Rob Kocher and Ingrid Braun, named their team after defying stereotypical gender roles.

“I had a moment of insanity,” Kocher said about agreeing to dance. “My inner child told me I needed to find a release.”

Kocher, who has no dancing experience other than “late night Laka,” watched DWTD last year. When he was asked to participate this year, Kocher said, “I did not think, I’m trying not to think at all actually. I’m out of my comfort zone, but you only live once.”

During the first rehearsal, Pamela Stayden, the choreographer for Team Gender Bender “told me I dance like a caveman,” Kocher said.

“This is entirely Stacy’s fault,” Braun said about her involvement. And after Braun posted an episode of DWTD on her Facebook page, her mother commented, “Guess we were remiss in not getting you dancing lessons.”

Regardless of their ability, “We are having fun,” Braun said about rehearsing with Kocher. “We suck equally and we crack up the whole time.”

Braun is happy to contribute to the cause, however, and Kocher said, “No one has seen me dance, really, so I don’t know if I’m really giving back, but I’m trying.”

When asked about their team strategy, Braun said, “Nothing that I’ll reveal. I think we’re just going to try and be as entertaining as possible.”

“I just don’t want to have any wardrobe malfunctions,” Kocher said.