Hilarie Neely moved to the Wood River Valley in 1980, bringing with her a love of dance and a gift for teaching. In 1984, Neely started the Footlight Dance Centre, a studio that teaches students of all ages many types of dance, from ballet to tap.
Footlight will celebrate its 25-year anniversary with a production of "Peter Pan" on Saturday, May 9, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 10, at 2 p.m., at the Community Campus Theatre in Hailey.
"I have a long history of dance," Neely said. "I gave up performing in 1985 to have a family but devoted myself to arts and dance education on all levels."
Neely came to the valley as a member of the Portland Dance Theatre, on an assignment to perform for the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. During her visit, she met her future husband. When the Portland Dance Theater was going through changes, she decided to make the valley her home, got married and raised a family.
"I was an artist-in-residence and taught in schools throughout Idaho," she said. "It feels like all of that happened just yesterday because every year I have taught has been a wonderful journey."
As an advocate for the arts and arts education, Neely was a board member for Idaho for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and is one of the founders of the Wood River Arts Alliance.
"The arts are so important in people's lives," Neely said. "Girls had very little to do in the 1980s, and I filled a huge gap for young ladies to be involved in the arts. In the 90s things changed in the schools and women's sports developed."
Neely has taught and guided many young dancers toward upholding good standards, commitments, discipline and fulfilling obligations. She said being part of a dance company is a large time commitment, with students devoting entire weekends in addition to a full rehearsal schedule throughout the week.
"One never knows where life is headed, but I found my calling when I was in eighth grade and I knew I wanted to be a dancer," Neely said with a few tears. "People who have a calling are lucky. I have tried to be honest, truthful and do what I do best,"
Neely said her faculty throughout the years has been a large part of Footlight's success. Instruction in modern, jazz, tap, Broadway dancing, ballet and other forms of dance are all part of Footlight's year-round programs.
"All of our lectures and demonstrations have been based on something pertinent in the arts," she said.
Neely has produced shows with a variety of themes including celebrating 100 years of Idaho history, the Special Olympics and master artists.
"We learn most about dance through other art forms," she said. "I always pay attention to what's happening and like to have another connection to the arts besides dance. It's important to have another element to performances."
Tickets for Footlight Dance Centre's performance of "Peter Pan" cost $5. They are available at Chapter One Bookstore in Ketchum, The Toy Store in Hailey and at the door. For details, call 788-3481, ext. 6.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
In a photo by Aubrey Stephens, Footlight Dance Center’s Hilarie Neely instructs a young dancer.
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