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Tracy Strauss, Jim Gilchrist, Lynn Nichols and Dalia Vardy.
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Elliott Slade, Sarah Broughton, Shannon Slade and Donna Slade.
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Celebrate the Beat’s founder Tracy Straus with board member Coco Enrique-Bocobo.
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Celebrate the Beat dancer Abby, in red, shared her favorite part of the program, “getting to express my light.”
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Celebrate the Beat executive director Justine Roberts.
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Hip moms Louisa Goldberg and Ali Phillips.
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Longtime friends Linda Haan and Pamela Ross.
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Pepper, an incredible vocalist and guitarist originally from Spain, performs alongside musician Joel Kipnis.
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Gracie Waanders, Jennifer Causing and Kai Waanders arrive at the Celebrate the Beat benefit.
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Dance instructor Heather Kratz with her star students.
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Alan Trist and Elaine Pagels at the Celebrate the Beat performance.
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Margie Barclay with her son, Rob Ittner, and Cherie Silvera and Martin Davis.
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Celebrate the Beat board member Liz Barclay with Kris Ashley who runs their program in Vail.
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“We believe every child has a beat within,” says Celebrate the Beat founder Tracy Straus.
Over the years, I’d heard about Celebrate the Beat (CTB) at the Community School in Woody Creek through friends whose children had participated in its three-week dance program there involving the entire student body and even the faculty. But not until a recent reception at a ranch on Owl Creek Road did I have a chance to see a dose of it up close and understand its significance.
The program’s history began in 2000 when the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet invited Tracy Straus, a Tony Award winner and artistic associate at National Dance Institute in New York City, to create a program to bring the highest quality arts education to Colorado. That year, she met Jim Gilchrist with the Community School and they’ve worked together ever since. In 2004, she established CTB as an independent nonprofit and by 2018, in collaboration with teachers and school officials, CTB’s program began reaching over 3,500 children annually, forming essential collaborations to give at-risk youth opportunities they never dreamed possible.
This summer, on a beautiful July evening at the home of Elliott and Donna Slade, guests gathered for an inspiring dance performance by Denver students ranging in age. Tracy Straus welcoming all, alongside CTB executive director Justine Roberts, Denver program director Heather Krentz, Vail program director Kris Ashley and board members.
Straus spoke to the impact of the program, noting, “The arts truly transform children’s lives and we believe every child has a beat within. Our program teaches children to become the very best they can become and it’s grown because it works.”
CTB supports the highest quality in-school and after-school dance programs for all children that improves their physical health and well-being, inspires them to believe in themselves, and establishes a standard of excellence that impacts all aspects of their lives. CTB programs contribute to a healthier, higher achieving student body. By experiencing and thriving in CTB programs children are learning to listen, focus and take direction, and their excitement about learning itself is ignited.
Learn more via http://www.ctbeat.org.