The Traveler

The Tyson Company is sponsoring the fourth annual dance competition "So You Think You Know How To Dance?" to raise money for a local non-profit organization.

The event is hosted by Sally Ashcraft of Johnson's Elite School of Dance, which partners up with the Jones Center, the Walton Arts Center and the UA drama department. Ashcraft has a 25-year background in dance and has participated in many kinds of dances, mostly classical ballet, and continues to do so.

"So You Think You Know How To Dance?" is a fundraising event to raise money for Dance Coalition, a local non-profit group of choreographers and dancers, Ashcraft said.

"It is also an opportunity for the local dancers and choreographers to show off their original ideas in a more professional venue than what they are used to," she said.

The fundraiser has a junior competition ranging from ages 7 to 13 and a senior competition for 14-year-olds and older. The dance competition, which will be hosted by KNWA's Brad Reed and Carley Gordon, will feature three judges from different areas who will narrow the selections to the top dancer in their respective areas.

The audience then votes for their favorite dancer by donating a dollar to the dancer. The dancer who raises the most money wins the competition. The dancers are awarded scholarships and trophies if they win, according to a press release.

"All non-profit [organizations] have some type of fundraising effort," Ashcraft said. "We tried the one four years ago, and it worked well. The community seems to enjoy it, as do the dancers, so we decided to continue doing it.

"Every year that we have done it, the competition has grown in attendance and participation," she said.

Every year, the amount of money raised varies, but the goal is always met. The goal of the competition is to have enough funds to support the annual dance concert and ongoing educational workshops, which consist of local dancers working to improve with guidance from master teachers. A typical workshop ranges from $3,000 to $5,000 to produce, and Dance Coalition tries to provide about two or three workshops a year, Ashcraft said.

Twelve years ago, Dance Coalition started to produce an annual dance showcase that cost $10,000 to produce, which is the reason for the funds raised at the dance competition. In 2010, Dance Coalition hopes to change the annual Dance Concert into the first Northwest Arkansas Dance Fayetteville, which will include three dance showcases, dance master classes and forums for discussion.

The "So You Think You Know How To Dance?" competition and fundraiser will begin 6:30 p.m. tomorrow night at the Clarion, located on 1255 South Shiloh Drive in Fayetteville.

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