The Dance Alliance
The Dance Alliance is a local 501-C (3) non-profit organization formed in 1996 to provide Gallatin Valley dance students, and the greater community with exposure and access to the best in dance education and performance opportunities. The three goals of The Dance Alliance are to provide monetary support for dancers through scholarships to local and nationally recognized dance schools, to sponsor stage productions in the Gallatin Valley, and to educate dance students with workshops and master classes.
To date, 
The Dance Alliance has directly given thousands of dollars to local dancers to attend prestigious summer programs including Atlanta Ballet, Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet School, Orlando Ballet School, Ballet West, Joffery School of Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Our list of scholarship recipients who are currently young women in the dance profession include Molly Huempfner, Chanteal Moss, Lanna Parker, Lindsey Popiel, Hannah Rasker, and Caitlyn Ross. The Dance Alliance has sponsored countless performances in Bozeman including Western Ballet Theater’s Alice in Wonderland, Student Choreographers’ Showcase, The Dance Center’s Nutcracker in a Nutshell and Annual Spring Performances, and IndepenDance. The Dance Alliance has also held workshops with master teachers from the Houston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet West, and Oklahoma City Ballet. In May 2006, The Dance Alliance brought the entire Bozeman dance community together with the Cody Dieruf Workshop to celebrate the life of this beloved local dancer.
In May 2011, the Dance Alliance awarded 11 scholarships to area dancers who attended summer programs across the country and at local dance camps. Six dance studios were represented by our scholarship recipients, including Ballet Montana Academy, Main Street Dance Theatre, Tanya’s Dance Company, The Academy (MBC), The Dance Center, and Yellowstone Ballet Company.
Recently, four of our scholarship recipients were accepted into pre-professional programs because of the summer programs they attended with the aid of Dance Alliance scholarships. These students include:
- Jennifer Bummer of Bozeman (former student of The Dance Center), attends Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy, Orange County CA
- Malia Ludin of Bozeman (former student of Ballet Montana), attends Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, NYC
- Parsifal Pittendorfer of Livingston (former student of Yellowstone Ballet & Ballet Montana), attends Ellison Ballet, NYC
- Nancy Rich of Bozeman (former student of The Dance Center and MBC) attended Harid Conservatory, Boca Raton FL
Also, Haley Roe and Meryl Pawlick were given the Fall 2011 Merit Scholarship for The Dance Center.
If you would like to make a tax deductible contribution, please mail a check to:
The Dance Alliance, PO 4656, Bozeman MT 59772
Thank you for supporting dance in Bozeman!
Board of Directors
Susan Sheard, President—2nd year of 3-year term. Served since 2009. Plans to continue serving. Technical writer, RightNow Technologies. Former ballet dancer. Current ballroom, Latin, and tap dancer. Member of Society for Technical Communicators, Emerson Cultural Center, Bridger Bowl Assoc., Gallatin Valley Land Trust, American Wildlands.
Deborah Yarington, Vice President & Secretary—2nd year of 3-year term. Served since 2004. Plans to continue serving. Owner and ballet & modern instructor, The Dance Center, Sweet Pea board member
Mary Grande, Treasurer—2nd year of a 3-year term. Served since 1996. Plans to continue serving. Accounts Manager, Fay Ranches, Inc. Former ballet instructor, dancer, founding member of the Dance Alliance.
Anna Hall—2nd year of a 3-year term. Served since 2004. Plans to continue serving. Ballet instructor, The Dance Center
Laura Roe—1st year of a 3-year term. Served since 2011.
Owner, Hyalite Farm & Holistic Veterinary Resources Dancer parent, member of American Veterinary Medical Assoc., Montana Veterinary Assoc., Montana Wilderness Association, Bozeman Friends of Music, Museum of the Rockies.
Julie Schumacher—1st year of a 3-year term. Served since 2011. Operations Manager, Security Title Company of Montana. Dancer parent, member of Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce, SWIMBIA, and Gallatin Assoc. of Realtors.