Island life may have a reputation for being laid-back, but it can definitely throw residents some curveballs. Dancer Chelsea Sherman moved to Orcas in 2020, just as the island’s established dance company was disbanding. Looking for connection, collaboration, and work opportunity, she set about laying the groundwork for a new dance collective. 

“I invited a bunch of dancers in the community together and asked if they wanted to do this thing together, and they agreed,” says Sherman. “There was just a need for it.” 

Orcas Dance Collective (ODC) started in April of 2021. Sherman based the framework for it on Windfall Dance Company, a nonprofit she’d previously been involved with. ODC began as a group of adult, advanced-skill dancers that would come together to produce shows and teach. That was when island life wound up and threw Sherman another unexpected pitch. 

“[The summer] we started, we only had five classes, and they were all for adults. We did a showcase in August, and then it just blew up from there. Starting that fall, we started having around 20 classes a week,” says Sherman. “When I started this group, I wanted to teach classes and I wanted to dance with the community, but I did not realize how big it was going to get… I’m not sure what leads dancers to the island, but there’s a lot of us here.” 

Their meteoric popularity engendered a wider scope of vision. Orcas Dance Collective is now a hub for movement, creativity, community, and opportunity that offers something for everyone on Orcas. Alongside Sherman, founding members Tiffany Loney, Stephanie Moss, Susan Newkumet, and Bianca Cox “continue to be bellwethers of [ODC’s] programming.”  

Photograph courtesy of Orcas Dance Collective

ODC is both a dance company and a dance school. They have a Leadership Team, a Performance Division, and an Advanced Performance Division. They also work with the Orcas Island Park and Recreation District to run their Seasonal Class Series for all ages and skill levels. They practice at the Orcas Center (by whom they are fiscally sponsored) and Odd Fellows Hall, and produce at least three shows per year on the island (which are often intergenerational and non-traditional).  

“We run through Park and Rec, so we have a tax levy. We’re not trying to make a profit off the classes, we just want people to have access to them… our adult classes are only 10 or 12 bucks per class,” Sherman says. They’re also able to offer a low-barrier scholarship program and trade classes for volunteer hours within the Collective. “Part of our mission is that we want everybody to be able to experience dance.” 

Their classes include kinder move, kinder tap, ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, tap, and hip hop. For adults, there’s even burlesque jazz and a “move and groove” class that’s kind of a blend of swing and African.  

Photograph courtesy of Orcas Dance Collective

They also work to create special opportunities for their advanced dancers, like traveling to Bellingham to perform in the Fire and Story festival, or going to Chicago for a dance intensive. Their summer show, an open-call Parade March through town during the Orcas Island Solstice Parade, doubles as a celebration and community outreach. 

“We’re starting to really expand and think big about what we can do,” says Sherman. “We’re really interested in doing a Dance Exchange [program] next summer and getting more travel opportunities, especially for our advanced teens.” 

The program has found success thanks to its collaborative leadership, “yes, and” mentality, and always being ready to adjust to the needs of Orcas’s community. 

“On average [we] run 25 classes per week in the on-season… Our class roster can be over 100 kids regularly. We’re the only school that’s available here,” says Sherman. “We believe that everybody can dance and should have the opportunity to move, and that it’s a human right to move and to play and to create. That definitely is what’s guiding us and not competitions, not status… We’re really interested in the artistry, the inclusion, and the community.”

Eastsound, facebook.com/orcasdancecollective