BRANDON GANDY
Owner/Operator Victory Chevrolet Charlotte, NC
Brandon was born in Morgantown, West Virginia and moved to Mooresville, North Carolina in 1988 at the age of 15. He still lives there today with his wife Amy of 20 years and two children Clara (16) and Cameron (14).
He stayed fairly local, attending college at Wingate University where he played football. After selling cars to help pay his way through college he spent nearly a year after graduation doing all he could not to be in the car business, but it turned out the car business wasn’t done with him. Fortunately, several months later he sold a car to a young lady who eventually became his wife, Amy.
In 2003 an opportunity came along for him and his family to purchase a small Chevy dealership in Mt Holly, North Carolina. Through many years of hard work, sweat and tears that dealership is now Victory Chevrolet conveniently located in Charlotte on I-485 between exits 12 and 14…where just $19 down delivers any vehicle in stock!
GET TO KNOW THIS PERSON
- Dancing Experience: Dance floor legend (but only in his own mind).
- Fun Fact: My outdoor grill only knows how to cook a steak medium rare!
- Why did you choose to support Charlotte Ballet? Well to be completely honest…I think it is the other way around and the Ballet chose me! Several years ago I was invited to the Dancing with the Stars event by my good friend Tadd Morganti, who serves on the Ballet board. We had an absolute blast and on the way home (obviously after several adult beverages) I jokingly said, “I could dance better than anyone out there tonight!” So after attending the event for nearly six straight years I get a call out of the blue from Tadd and he says, “you’re dancing!” So here I am…DANCING WITH THE STARS! So be careful what you wish for and be careful who you tell you can dance better! But in all seriousness, I’ve come to love this event and how much fun it is, so it is an honor to help support the Charlotte Ballet and all their efforts to put on such a great night and so many other performances.
- Follow Brandon on social media: Instagram. Facebook. Twitter.
ISABELLA FRANCO
Seasons with Charlotte Ballet: 2
Isabella, born in Los Angeles, CA, began dancing at the age of three at the Marat Daukayev School of Ballet. She attended summer intensives on a merit scholarship at the Academie Princess Grace in Monaco and San Francisco Ballet School. She also danced in the summer programs of the School of American Ballet and Ballet Austin.
Isabella was a 2016 YoungArts Finalist in Dance and was a semifinalist for the 2018 Presidential Scholar in the Arts award. She consistently placed in the top three in the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) regional semifinals, earned the Junior Grand Prix award in Los Angeles and won 2nd place in the YAGP Finals in New York. She spent two years as a Butler Fellow at Ballet Austin.
Isabella joined the first company of Charlotte Ballet in 2021. Some of her favorite roles include Aurora in Matthew Hart’s Sleeping Beauty: A Fairy Tailored Classic, Rebecca West in Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House, and Rena Butler’s Subliminal Tsunami.
GET TO KNOW ISABELLA
- Hometown: Los Angeles, California
- Dancing since: Age 3
- What has been the highlight of your time with Charlotte Ballet? Dancing the role of Aurora in Matthew Hart’s Sleeping Beauty: A Fairy Tailored Classic was an extremely special experience. It was my first principal role with the company, and the guidance I received from the artistic staff as well as the support from the rest of the company made the process truly wonderful.
- What are you doing when you’re not dancing? I am a pretty big nerd and am a huge sci-fi and fantasy fan. Some of my favorite franchises include Lord of the Rings, Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek. I am also quite an avid reader.
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION
This charity is very special to me because I saw my Grandfather Dr. Robert Crawford die from this disease. Before moving away from West Virginia, he was very much a part of my life and I looked up to him in many ways. I still have many fond memories of driving from our home in Charleston, West Virginia on a Saturday morning to head to a WVU football game in Morgantown. The best would be when he would take us on the way back home to a steakhouse called the Wonderbar…still probably the best steak I’ve eaten because of the memories it still holds. In the early 90’s, his body was still strong and lively, but the disease kicked in and his mind left him. I know how hard it was on him , but his immediate family as well and the care he needed. My hope is that research can continue to further advance to the treatment and cure of this disease.
The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. To learn more about their mission, programs and other stories like my grandfather’s visit www.alz.org.
LEADERS AT A GLANCE
Check out the fundraising competition live via the Star Dancer leaderboard. Support your favorite Star Pair and cast your vote today by purchasing tickets or making a donation. All ticket sales and donations received are split 50/50 with Charlotte Ballet and the Star Dancer’s chosen charity. $1=1 Vote! On March 4, the People’s Choice Award will be presented to the Star Pair with the most funds raised. Judges’ Choice Award is presented to the Star Pair the judges determine had the best moves.
Total: $1,445,160
Thank you to our sponsors
- Prima
- Relevé
- Plié
- Pirouette
- Arabesque
