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By RAEGAN NEUFELD
Tiger Media Network
What started as a class project has turned into an annual event that not only raises money, but also helps create friendships between two local organizations.
Dancing Together for DSNWK brings together members of the Styles Dance Centre and Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas. The event will feature performances from SDC dancers and individuals from DSNWK, including a finale with approximately 200 participants from both groups on stage. Attendees can purchase raffle tickets before the performance and all of the proceeds will go to DSNWK.
The event will begin with the raffle at 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center, and the performance will start at 5 p.m.
According to SDC owner Alyssa Dechant, the event started as a Leadership 310 project for her former assistant, a student at Fort Hays State University.
“We fell in love with the show and fell in love with DSNWK,” she said. “It just continued and it’s something we all look forward to every single year.”
The connections formed during practices and the performance are meaningful for both organizations and last from year to year.
“The reason why we’ve continued it is because it’s a great community activity for our individuals at DSNWK to participate in, but they’ve also become family with the Styles Dance Center competition teams,” DSNWK Director of Programs and Services Sara Biggs said. “When people walk in, the dancers know them from year to year. It’s a great opportunity to come together and mix with a different group of people.”
The proceeds from Dancing Together funds DSNWK’s annual Spring Fiesta, a ‘fun day’ event with a dance, food and games for individuals and staff members.
“We serve 18 counties, so we have people all the way out at the Colorado and Nebraska borders,” DSNWK Director of Development Steve Keil said. “This is the one time a year for a lot of them to see old friends. It’s really a special day and the money from SDC helps us put that on.”
While Sunday’s performance will ultimately be an opportunity to support DSNWK, attendees will get something out of it, too.
“It’s a great opportunity to see inclusion,” Keil said. “People with developmental disabilities and kids that don’t have a disability coming together to create something really cool and beautiful.”
Dechant shared a similar sentiment.
“I think people will leave feeling happy and feeling joy,” she said. “To watch the DSNWK individuals with the dancers is so inspiring. I think the world is filled with a lot of ugly things right now, so when you get moments like this it brings nothing but pure joy.”