A large-scale performing arts-based collaboration is set to bring the Yampa Valley a one-of-a-kind experience in dance and movement.

Moreover, the event is designed to increase awareness of and participation in future community-based dance programs and performances. 

“A Local Dance Collective,” which will be performed Friday and Saturday at the Strings Music Festival, marks several “firsts” for the participating organizations, individuals and the Yampa Valley. The performances will begin at 7 p.m.

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One of the primary logistical supporters for the production was Steamboat Dance Theatre, whose annual concert has become a highly attended event in the community.

“Many people also know SDT as the organization that hosts our annual community concert but are unaware of the other facets of our programming,” SDT Executive Director Lori Biagi said. “We hope to cultivate a greater understanding of the role we play in the community then help people utilize those resources.”

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SDT’s mission is to engage, educate and enrich the communities of the Yampa Valley through dance and movement. In a news release, the organization linked that mission with “The Local Dance Collective’s” goal to provide “additional performance opportunities and exposure to our studios, instructors and artists, many of whom dedicate their lives and livelihoods to dance.”

Biagi spoke to the importance of the event in bolstering the organization’s ability to continue to serve the community from a performing arts perspective.

“We aim to bridge the gap between high cost of living and accessibility to the arts by increasing our awardable scholarship dollars and collaborating with studios and other organizations to give back to the community in meaningful ways,” Biagi said. “This collective effort enriches the performing arts scene, making it more inclusive and vibrant. Performing arts experiences also inspire dialogue, build empathy and strengthen community identity.”

The show involves many local performing arts entities including Elevation Dance Studio, Yampa Valley Vixens, Jasmir Belly Dance, Goodhart’s Dancin’, Steamboat Academy of Music and Dance, Forty106 Dance Project, Perry-Mansfield and Bella Movement. 

“The show is different from Steamboat Dance Theatre’s annual concert and highlights local dance artists (and is) aimed as a benefit for Steamboat Dance Theatre’s scholarship and community programs,” Production Coordinator Elvira Stewart said.

Meg Southcott of Forty106 Dance Project added that, “the initiative serves as a crucial step toward establishing a professional foundation for dance and dance productions, fostering audience education and enhancing Steamboat’s overall representation of arts and culture.”

Proceeds will also be directed to dance vitality education programs, workshops and classes as well as the World Dance in Schools and Youth Initiative, which celebrates dances from different cultures around the world and has, according to Biagi, doubled in the last year. The program will be featured in third and fifth grade classrooms as well as the Boys and Girls Club, School Days Off and summer camps. Free community dance films at the library, as well as master dance classes, will also be benefactors from fundraising surrounding “The Local Dance Collective. “

SDT is also spearheading an adaptive dance program with STARS.

Renee Fleischer, the owner and artistic director of Elevation Dance Studio, explained there is a mutual hope among all the participants and coordinators that the community will turn out to support the event, and in turn, the community-based future of dance in the Yampa Valley.

Fleischer serves on the SDT board of directors and is also a member of the organization’s events committee, which is spearheading new approaches to fundraising. 

“The hope is the show inspires people in dance to elevate the art of performance overall and encourage training through participation in classes,” Fleischer said. “Not many communities have a Steamboat Dance Theatre type of organization whose contributions and awards support families that have children who want to dance, but don’t have the means.”

Dancer Alexa Taylor, who choreographed a piece entitled “Wonder” for the show, is no stranger to the Yampa Valley performing arts scene. Her work with the Yampa Valley Vixens and other performing arts organizations has provided her with an in-depth understanding of the importance of dance to the community. 

It has also provided her with a vision on how the performing arts can be supported and expanded.

“I believe that by allowing the community to come together in one space and see all the different dance and performance groups that our area has to offer, something that has never been done before, will bring more exposure and awareness to everything the dance community has to offer,” Taylor said. “It’s so important to make sure that the arts are encouraged and supported because outside our beautiful Steamboat ‘bubble’ is a world to be explored, and art really helps people understand and learn new things.”

For more information, to purchase tickets or to donate, visit SteamboatDanceTheatre.org/.