24th Annual Dance Showcase DancIn’spiration supports local children’s charity, MORIAH™
Elite youth dance students from across the Valley get the opportunity to showcase their talent at the 24th annual DancIn’spiration benefit program. Scheduled for 6 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2025, at the Madison Center for the Performing Arts, 5601 N 16th St. in North Central Phoenix, DancIn’spiration is the collaborative effort of six premier Arizona dance studios demonstrating uplifting dance performance, including all forms of dance like ballet, jazz, tap, musical theater, lyrical, contemporary and hip-hop, for a worthy cause.
“The dance community in the Valley is nothing short of amazing,” said Kevin Bender, co-owner of Bender Performing Arts. “To watch these students dedicate their time, effort and skills to a worthy cause like DancIn’spiration is beyond beautiful and inspirational. We know they get a lot from the experience, plus they can give back to kids in need at the same time. It is remarkable.”
More than 250 premier dance students, ages 8 to 18, are set to participate in the annual event designed to not only highlight their talent but also to raise funds for children’s charities across the Valley. Over the last two decades, more than $400,000 has been raised in association with this program.
The 2025 DancIn’spiration participants include students from the Bender All-Stars, Dance Motion Performing Company, Bricks Studio, Classic Image Dance, Micaela’s Dance Magic and Innerlight Dance.
This year’s DancIn’spiration beneficiary is MORIAH™ Cooperative. MORIAH™ is an acronym for “Motivate and Orchestrate Respectful Interpersonal Achievement and Harmony.” It is a nonprofit organization that aims to empower children with special needs by offering free inclusive social opportunities in a safe and nurturing environment.
“Often children with special needs are excluded from the general population leading them to feel isolated, humiliated sad and rejected,” said MORIAH™ co-founder, Sheri Bernstein. “Unfortunately, children with special needs don’t have a lot of opportunities to effectively practice socialization and develop communication skills with their peers, which perpetuates the cycle of exclusion.”
MORIAH™ helps foster empathy, acceptance and friendship between children with special needs and neurotypical peers. This is achieved through regularly scheduled inclusive social events in Phoenix, such as bowling, gardening, roller skating, rock climbing and more, where individuals with special needs can develop communication and social skills, and peer mentors learn about the importance of inclusion.
Bender Performing Arts supports MORIAH’s mission by providing inclusive and accessible dance opportunities for students with special needs. Many of these students will perform alongside peers at the DancIn’spiration benefit.
“We continue to look for ways to support the community through dance,” added Bender. “DancIn’spiration allows talented young dancers who come back year after year to use their art for a good cause that helps others who may not have the same opportunities to express themselves through performance arts.”
Previous Phoenix area DancIn’spiration beneficiaries include Swift Youth Foundation, Heart for the City, Sunshine Angels, Arizona Helping Hands, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Caitlin Robb Foundation.
Tickets for the 2025 DancIn’spiration benefit are $20 and can be purchased through Bender Performing Arts at (602) 971-9170 or at the theater one hour before showtime. Run time for the event is under two hours.
Bender Performing Arts (BPA) in North Phoenix has been in business since 1974. The performance arts studio specializes in dance of all types including preschool classes, ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop classes as well as musical theater, tumbling, silks, pom and cheer classes. They also provide private voice, guitar and piano lessons for all ages 2 ½ years old through adult. The studio and its owners subscribe to a performance-based education model, not competition-based, focusing time and attention on helping students hone a love of performance. For more information or to register for a class, visit www.benderperformingarts.com
