It’s time for the community to show off its dance moves and get down to some music once again at this season’s all-ages dance party hosted by Moab Pride.
Get your groove on with DJ Cozy Soul, Moab Pride and the Rainbow Club for the Make It Snow-Flake dance on Dec. 14, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the Moab Arts and Recreation Center. (MARC).
The community dance is for anyone, of any age, who wants to dance, hang out or perform.
“It’s a really fun, open space for anyone who just likes to dance to come to. You don’t have to perform, but you can,” said Meg List, one of Moab Pride’s organizers and a Rainbow Club facilitator.
Moab Pride is a nonprofit that focuses on events and programs for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA) members in the community. Volunteers organize and host a Rainbow Club for LGBTQIA youth at the local middle and high schools.
“It’s a supportive environment, so it’s been some people’s first time performing and seems like everyone who has performed so far had a good experience and felt supported. … It’s meant to be a really inclusive, fun space for all ages. A lot of things happen at the bar or happen that are just for adults in Moab, and this is really geared to be for everyone.”
The most recent all-ages dance party took place during the Pride Festival in September and featured a variety of drag performances by both local and regional performers. This dance party will feature music by DJ Cozy Soul and possibly feature an appearance by “Polly” the polyamorous octopus, a giant papier-mache octopus created for the 2018 Pride Festival.
“We had a DJ at the April dance party as well,” said Steph Hamborsky, a Moab Pride organizer and Rainbow Club facilitator. “DJ Cozy Soul has a specific style of soul and blues and hip hop so that will be really cool.”
Like previous dance parties hosted by Moab Pride, entry is free and refreshments will be provided.
“We’ll have a variety of refreshments,” Hamborsky said. “Typically we have an open mic space for music and spoken word, or any type of performance, and then we do some things that are more drag-oriented. Anyone can pick a song to perform to. In the past, we’ve had toddlers all the way through older folks.”
An open space for expression and community, the all-ages dance party is a gathering that prioritizes the expression and inclusion of everyone, with a focus on queer and trans-gender members of the community. The decision to call the winter all-ages dance party “Make It Snow-Flake” was in response to the use of the word “snowflake” as a derogatory term for left-leaning progressives.
“I think it’s important to know why we chose this title for the event,” Hamborsky said. “Cali wrote a snowflake song that they now perform with the Plucky Vigors that is about reclaiming the word ‘snowflake.’ A lot of people comment that more left-leaning progressive people are overly sensitive, so we’re trying to reclaim that word and say, ‘Yeah, we care a lot. We’re sensitive people and that’s a good thing.’ We’re trying to assign more of a positive connotation to it.”
Moab Pride organizer and Rainbow Club facilitator Sem urges everyone to attend the dance and have a good time and said, “Come dance, show us your sweet moves.”
“It’s meant to be a really inclusive, fun space for all ages.”
Make It Snow-Flake with DJ Cozy Soul
What: Make It Snow-Flake all-ages dance party
When: Friday, Dec. 14, from 6 to 10 p.m.
Where: Moab Arts and Recreation Center, 111 E. 100 North
Cost: Free; donations are welcome, and all donations will go toward youth programs in the community.
Visit Moab Pride’s Facebook page at facebook.com/Moabpridefestival/
