Waukesha dance community comes together to support Xtreme Dance families

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Community is coming together to support the members of the Waukesha Xtreme Dance Team who are still recovering from what happened at the Waukesha Christmas parade.

More than 600 people in the Waukesha area dance community came out Wednesday night, Dec. 8, to support the girls in the Xtreme Dance Team, and those who are still hurting said they're grateful.

Waukesha Xtreme Dance Team owner Sandra Feller thanked everyone for coming out before dancers from schools and dance groups all around the region took center stage to dance in a benefit concert for those who were at the parade.

For the dancers, it's about community.

"How closely knit not only our dance community is, but the community all over New Berlin, Waukesha and beyond, how much we do truly care for each other," said Lily Macdonald, New Berlin Eisenhower dance team senior captain.

She said the dance community is a lot like one big family, but despite the competitive nature, that wasn't what Wednesday night was about.

"Tonight we're just going to dance with all of our friends in mind and do the best we can," said Macdonald.

Organizers of the event said they're shocked at the turnout.

"We thought it would only be about a hundred or so people," said co-organizer and Waukesha North Varsity Dance Team Assistant Coach Brianna Chowaniec, "And it kind of blew up in the past couple of days."

But Chowaniec said the roots run deep in the dance community.

"A lot of our team members came from that program, we used to work really closely with them, I used to coach them for five years, so we all have pretty good connections with them," said Chowaniec.

In the audience were Xtreme Dance Team members and their parents, like Joseph Hollinsworth, who has two daughters in the Xtreme Dance Team.

For him, seeing all these people means a lot.

"It feels great, it really does," said Hollinsworth.

He said the money raised from silent auctions, 50/50 raffles, and door money Wednesday night will make a real difference for his, and other families.

"A lot of these kids saw things that nobody ever wants anyone to see, whether it's an adult or a child, and whatever type of help that they need from now on until whenever, that's what this money is going to go to, to make sure these kids can continue to grow and continue to have a great life for many years to come," said Hollinsworth.

The money raised will be divided between the five families who had kids who were sent to Children's Wisconsin hospital.

Organizers estimated they made at least $4,000 dollars at the event.