The Spin

The fall dance season kicks off during First Friday ArtWalk with Lane Arts Council’s Fiesta Cultural salsa dance party 5:30 to 8 pm Friday, Sept. 4, at Kesey Square; free.

Also during First Friday: “Come to the last #instaballet of the season!” co-founder Suzanne Haag suggests. “This is your last chance until 2016 to help Eugene Ballet Company dancers make a ballet with audience input.” Catch #instaballet 5:30 to 8 pm in The Studio at the Hult Center; free.

Eugene Ballet Company gears up for tours of The Sleeping Beauty throughout the Northwest, including a run in Eugene Oct. 24-25. EBC also welcomes new dancers Hirofumi Kitazume, Yuki Beppu and Yamil Maldonado to their ranks.

Ballet Fantastique launches its new season in October, with performances of Cirque de la Lune featuring live music from Mood Area 52, Troupe Carnival and Betty and the Boy in Eugene, Portland and Honolulu.

And Vanessa Martin’s Xcape Dance Company has been invited to represent Oregon at the 25th annual Dance Excellence event in Los Angeles in 2016. On Oct. 9, Xcape holds a fundraising gala to cover the cost of the trip. More information at xcapedance.com.

In studio news, Anne Cooper and Cara Haakanson offer new movement classes at the Celebration Belly Dance & Yoga Studio beginning Sept. 14. Cooper offers the MELT Method, focused on the connective tissue that surrounds everything in the body, 9 to 10 am Tuesdays and 5 to 6 pm Thursdays. She also teaches a Feldenkrais Method class on Wednesdays from 4 to 4:50 pm. Haakanson offers a MOVEit Fitness Class that combines cardio and strength with encouragement and support 5 to 6 pm Wednesdays and Fridays.

Laura and Robert Taylor of Dance With US teach rumba, tango and social dancing at their studio in the River Road neighborhood. They also offer private lessons and specialize in teaching people to dance for special occasions. “Last year I taught over 37 couples to dance for weddings,” Laura Taylor says. Register for fall term by calling 342-3058 or visiting danceeugene.com.

Eugene Ballet Academy fall term begins Sept. 8 with new class offerings and faculty; call 686-9342 for info.

Emelia Reed and Erin Hennessy offer a beginning teen tap class at Midtown Arts (16th and Willamette) 2 to 3 pm Sundays; $5 drop-in.

Fall term dance classes at Lane Community College begin Sept. 28, offering a variety of classes for all levels. Auditions for the Lane Dance Company are Oct. 5.

Looking for work in arts administration? Danceability International is hiring a fulltime Oregon programs/communication/development director to start in October. Qualified candidates should send a cover letter, resume and a one- to three-page professional writing sample to Sara Zolbrod at sara@danceability.com by Sept. 25.

And hearty congratulations to 5-year-old Campbell Clark, who recently competed at the Showbiz Talent Competition in Branson, Missouri, bringing home a national title. Clark trains at All That! Dance Studio.

Got a scoop on the local dance scene? Email Rachael Carnes at eugeneweeklydance@gmail.com

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!