A fundraiser being held next week at Tapps Performing Arts aims to get people from all walks of life up and dancing.
Allie Laliberte, the founder and CEO of Brass Ring Dance, a non-profit dedicated to creating safer, inclusive, and accessible dance spaces for children and youth, is bringing a special dance event to Orillia on Aug. 22.
“It is our kick-off event for the dance season,” she explained. “This event is to get people excited about dance again.”
Brass Ring Dance is hosting three separate open dance classes including one with a hip-hop theme, another that features a contemporary theme, and one that is for people with disabilities.
“Classes for people with disabilities are rarely offered in the dance industry and it is one of our goals to change this,” Laliberte said. “We want to make dance as inclusive as possible.”
The classes cost $20 and the money will go toward helping local dancers pay for dance tuition, fees, costumes, shoes, and other associated costs.
“It’s a good opportunity for kids to come out, raise some money for a good cause, and enjoy a day of dance,” Laliberte said.
The event allows Laliberte, a Midland native, the opportunity to give back to her local community.
“I’m a professional dancer, it’s what I’ve dedicated my life to, and love doing every single day,” she explained. “Growing up in a small town I know there are quite a few barriers in the dance industry in general and that’s coming from somebody who is a white privileged child.”
Laliberte, 28, believes there isn’t enough support for youth dancers and the cost of dance can be expensive even for parents who have full-time jobs.
“It can be anywhere from $500 to $3,000 a year for one single dancer,” she said. “Dance is very inaccessible to a lot of people in a lot of communities.”
Laliberte hopes next week’s event can raise close to $2,000.
“That would be incredible,” she said. “Being from a small town myself my heart really goes out to the children and youth in dance.”
The classes will begin at 5 p.m. and will wrap up around 8 p.m. They are open to anyone whether they are a member of Tapps Perfroming Arts or not. You can register for each of the three classes here.
“We hope everyone leaves feeling inspired,” Laliberte said. “We also hope they leave feeling like they have made a little bit of a difference here in their community.”
Laliberte thanks the sponsor of the event, The Underground Dance Centre in Toronto.
