Dance company’s spring concert celebrates wide range of styles

Published 1:30 am Friday, April 17, 2026

Whidbey Island Dance Theatre is leaping past expectations for its annual spring concert.

The nonprofit dance company will present “Celebration of Dance” on May 8–9 at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, bringing together a range of styles — from contemporary and jazz to tap and ballet.

Now in its 33rd year, the production continues to evolve.

“I’m just still excited about the whole idea of this organization staying significant to our community,” said Charlene Brown, the founder of Whidbey Island Dance Theatre.

The concert features 22 company dancers, all between the ages of 10 and 18, performing across three shows. Some of the performers have been training since the age of three in the art of dance. Their talent and flexibility surpass that of more senior dancers.

“It’s a pre-professional company, so its students that have ambitions,” Mark Thrapp, the other co-artistic director, said. Through Whidbey Island Dance Theatre, dancers gain access to festivals, workshops and performance opportunities that mirror professional pathways.

That level of commitment shows in their training. Dancers rehearse more than 20 hours a week, while balancing school, developing not only technical skills but also discipline, explained Co-Artistic Director Jamee Pitts. The dancers have developed physical awareness, a high level of fitness, time management skills, stamina and more, she said.

“It’s a growth experience,” Brown said, noting if they want to continue on to dance professionally, they will be prepared. Emily Reid, a 17-year-old, intends to teach dance after she graduates. Another senior, Madison Guzman, an 18-year old, said she also hopes to continue her dance experience by pursuing either a minor or double major in dance for her future degree.

The spring performance is one of only two chances each year for company dancers to take the stage. For graduating seniors who leave the program at 18 years old, it also marks a transition point. Five seniors will perform a dance that they choreographed themselves.

When the News-Times came for a visit, the dancers expressed a shared love for each other while they grieved those who are leaving after the season ends. After having been with the company for about 8 years, Callahan Dobmeier, a graduating senior, said she has learned a lot about the importance of community and supporting her fellow dancers.

“I’ve grown up with most of them like my entire life,” she said.

Lainey Dodge, at 15-years-old, echoed this sentiment.

“I’m excited for what they are gonna go do but also I’m sad because they are my family and I don’t want to lose them,” she said. She was met with an adoring “stop” spoken from a graduating senior listening in.

Millie Finley, a 15-year-old as well, noted that the group’s friendships feel more like family.

To broaden their experience, the company brings in choreographers from across the country, exposing dancers to a variety of styles and approaches. Whidbey Island Dance Theater also collaborates with a dance company from Bremerton that will perform in this year’s show, further expanding the range of styles onstage.

That variety is part of what keeps the performance fresh, not just for dancers, but for audiences as well. Each performance showcases new choreography, collaborations and creative risks. This year may even include a visual artist painting live onstage as dancers perform around her and inspire the brush strokes in real time.

For audiences, the result is a performance that consistently exceeds expectations.

“They walk out of here and I hear it all the time, ‘I didn’t expect to see this,’ ‘I can’t believe what you guys have done,’” Brown recalled.

She added that the show offers something unique for the local community. You don’t have to go to Seattle to see a quality dance concert, she said.

The performances fall on Mother’s Day weekend. Events at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts will include a free improv acting class and even a line dancing class open to the public, the same warm-up dancers will use before taking the stage.

Malaiya Thrasher, a 17-year-old senior, said she hopes audiences leave feeling happy and fulfilled.

Learn more about the Celebration of Dance at www.widtonline.org.