The Dance Foundation will mark its 50th anniversary with a free, all-ages dance party on Saturday, Aug. 16. The event, titled “50 YEARS GOLD,” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Edge, located on Green Springs Highway in Homewood.
The celebration features a theme of “50 dances for 50 years,” with social dances like The Hustle, Macarena and The Cupid Shuffle. The event will also include Movement to Music demonstrations, audience participation segments, and craft activities. Food and drinks will be available for purchase from local vendors.
In honor of the organization’s 1975 founding, the event will highlight 1970s-era dances and music. Admission is free. The Edge is ADA accessible, with designated parking and accessible restrooms. A rain date is scheduled for Aug. 23.
Founded in 1975 and based in Homewood since 1988, The Dance Foundation operates as a nonprofit offering dance education programs to people of all ages and abilities. Its current location on Green Springs Highway has served as a hub for classes, rehearsals and performances since 2003. More than 1,500 people visit the site weekly.
“Our mission is rooted in the idea that everyone can participate,” said Diane Litsey, executive director of The Dance Foundation. “From our beginning 50 years ago until today, we've danced with everyone, from people with different abilities to dancers pursuing careers in dance in our studio program. We've danced in underserved schools, our studio in Homewood, and all kinds of places in between.”
The organization’s work includes its Dance Studio Classes Program, the Dance Partners Program — which integrates dance into school curricula — and its Dance Space Rental Program, which offers rehearsal and performance space to local artists.
Support for the anniversary event comes from a number of sponsors, including an anonymous lead donor, B’ham Now, Homewood Arts Council, Alabama State Council on the Arts, Buffalo Rock and Thomas Waters State Farm.
For more information, visit thedancefoundation.org.
