Marshal and Cassie at Dancing with the Omaha Stars / photo courtesy of Rod Rabe

By day, Marshal Rabe is one of the 26 Work Experience students at Goodwill’s Retail Operations Center, learning problem solving, independence, and various tasks around the facility. But by night, Marshal is a world-champion ballroom dancer!

Marshal and his dance partner Cassie Lacy were featured performers at the Omaha Ballroom’s “Dancing with the Omaha Stars” event on January 14. Marshal and Cassie danced a waltz during intermission, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd and some perfect 10 scores from the panel of judges.

Marshal has been dancing all his life. His family owns the Rabe Dance Studio in Omaha, where Marshal has trained since childhood. He is a Country Western Dance World Champion, and he teaches Hip-Hop Dance at the Rabe Dance Studio.

He and Cassie met at a play production and have been dancing together ever since. Like Marshal, Cassie has Down syndrome, and she too has been dancing all her life. In addition to the Waltz, the two also perform Tango, Swing and Cha-Cha numbers.

Marshal began working with Goodwill’s Work Experience Program in August of 2011. WE Trainer Sarah Lorsung Tvrdik said that Marshal currently works on sorting and bundling shoes, which has been his favorite task so far. Throughout the course of the year, he will also work in the e-waste / computer recycling, clerical, production, custodial, contracts and retail departments.

“He enjoys interacting with the other students and has a good sense of humor,” Sarah said.

In addition to working at the ROC, Marshal also maintains a part-time job at the Garden Café.

Congratulations Marshal. Keep up the great work, and keep on dancing!

UPDATE! – Jan 23 WOWT Channel 6 ran a story on Marshal over the weekend! In addition to getting to know Marshal and Cassie better, you can see the two in action from last week’s Dancing with the Omaha Stars event.

ANOTHER UPDATE! – Jan 27 Marshal and Cassie are both featured in a video at Kirstie Alley’s 100DaysofDance.com! Scroll down to the bottom under “Featured Videos.”