LOCAL EVENTS
Dance like no one is watching in a room full of people doing exactly the same. Joydance is an improvised dance ensemble that meets up at The Price Center for an hour and a half of nonstop rhythmic dance expression. The event is open to the public, with all ages young and old encouraged to move and groove. Vicki Hartin has been hosting Joydances in the San Marcos community for years. Molly J. Hayes is a cohost of the event and describes the environment as one of inclusion and freedom.
“We make a place where people can dance and have fun and connect and move our bodies without any judgement or rules,” Hayes said.
A big emphasis is on the music, which is curated in a special way to add variety, creating a dynamic dance experience. Dancers were moving to tantric drum beats and then to fast paced pop music. The playlist had both fast and slow songs even including an irish jig, which made everyone hop and link arms to spin in circles.
“There’s a lot of different kinds of music so that you want to move in different ways,” Hayes explained.
Founder Vicki Hartin agrees on the importance of a varied playlist.
“Repetitive movement is not good,” Vicki said. “[Varied movement is] an important part; that’s kind of the philosophy, so that’s why we like the variety of music.”
There is more than just dancing at the event. Tables were laid out with a huge spread of snacks and drinks to fuel the energetic movement. There was a props and costumes table with flowing scarves, tutus, hats, rainbow fans and butterfly wings where dancers dressed up depending on the mood of the music. Vicki’s daughter Elisia Hartin was full of joy and gratitude when explaining how Joydance affects her and the community.
“It’s an all ages fun experience with dress up and play that heals your inner child. It gets you out of your comfort zone in a safe space,” Elisia said. “It’s one thing to dance around your house like nobody’s looking, but when you’re around other people, it’s a lot harder to get out of your comfort zone; so this gives you a place to do that comfortably.”
Joydance meets a few times a year at The Price Center in the Jager Theatre. Sign up for the Price Center’s newsletter on their website at price-center. org to stay up to date on the next Joydance and all the other community events they provide.
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Above, Dancers choose from a variety of fun, flowy costumes while participating in Joydance at The Price Center. Daily Record photos by Rebekah Porter