Earth Angels Bring 1950s Flair to the Woodward Dream Cruise

When you think Woodward Dream Cruise, you think about the 1950s—cat's-eye glasses, poodle skirts, ponytails, crew-cut boys in button-down shirts.

That's what makes local dance troupe Earth Angels (EA) a perfect fit for the event. Sponsored by Chevrolet, they group will perform on WXYZ-Channel 7's Dream Cruise show live from the Phoenix Center in Pontiac at 7 p.m. on Saturday (with another show at 3:30 p.m. the same day) and at , 39500 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

The dancers, who hail from around the metro area, perform year-round, but they look at this as a special part of their summer.

"I find it an honor to perform in the name of such a big company," 15-year-old Peter Kamash said. The West Bloomfield resident has been a big fan of the brand ever since he first saw a Corvette at the North American International Auto Show.

During intensive "work weeks" at the beginning of the summer, the dancers practice their routines seven hours a day. Rachel Lai, 14, of Westland, said they also practice at home and record their time on a log their parents have to sign.

It's hard work, but necessary: The troupe will end up performing 17 shows this summer, in venues that range from assisted living facilities to county parks. Today, they're doing a private show at in Farmington, performing for students who have disabilities.

The youngest member of the group is Aidan Gabriel from Canton. He joined EA more than a year ago as an 8-year-old, which is unusual. Most members start as 9-year-olds.

"They were desperate for boys, so I got to join early," he said, adding he heard about the group through a friend of his brother Rhys, who is also part of the group. The brothers aren't unique; many members have siblings in EA.

Jill Gornbein, 16, of Farmington Hills, is the group's senior member, having performed almost six years. She joined after watching EA perform at an elementary school sock hop.

"I was pulled up to twist at the end of the show, and I was asked to join," she said. "I just basically fell in love with it. I love to dance, so it was a perfect fit."

Most of the girls have had prior dance experience. Lily Trombley, 13, of Westland, has been a dance student with Deborah Chase in Livonia since she was 3 years old. Her confidence onstage has helped other dancers; 12-year-old Gabriel Chinchilla said she got him through one of his most nerve-racking performances—at Disney World.

"That was the 10th show I had ever done," the Farmington resident said. "I was very nervous, but Lily got me through it backstage ... She told me to breathe in for 10 seconds and breathe out. She gave me methods to calm myself."

The dancers agree they all support and encourage each other onstage. In fact, that seems to be everyone's favorite aspect of being an Earth Angels member.

"The funnest part," said 10-year-old Gabby Laesser of Canton, "is it's like a second family."

The sense of camaraderie combined with performance is how Earth Angels started. Founder Lisa Campos-DeWitt, of Canton, was 15 when she started Earth Angels with a group of kids performing in a backyard. 

"Someone asked us to do a festival, and it just snowballed," she said.

Campos-DeWitt finds it difficult to put into words what it means to her that Earth Angels is still going strong after 25 years.

"When I think of how many kids have come through Earth Angels, and to think I had a small part in them growing up, is a great honor," she said. "A lot of them stay until they graduate, and our relationship continues to grow, even when they're out of the group."

Her goal, she said, is to create a safe and secure environment.

"We learn how to take our differences and become a team," she said. "I think it's important for kids to have a place where they feel they can be themselves and people are accepting of that."

EA members also learn to give of themselves, both on and off the stage, as they perform and interact with their audiences. Gabby Laesser explained the dancers will lip-synch and sing to audience members, and pull them up onstage to dance.

"When we go onstage, we have fun," she said. "We interact with people, and that's what I think makes us special."

Learn more about Earth Angels at earthangelsontour.org.