The teams have shared video challenges, learned choreography and introduced audiences to causes they care about. On November 13, Dance with Spokane culminates in a live finale at Riverside Place.
A dance competition can be about who keeps the beat. Dance with Spokane is also asking what happens when a community sees its leaders in a new light, and learns more about the people, artists and organizations shaping the Inland Northwest.
Seven Spokane-area community leaders have been paired with seven professional dancers from the region. Their journey has played out through three virtual challenges, videos, interviews and social media games, building toward one live performance. The teams have had to learn choreography, try unfamiliar dance styles and share their progress with people who may know them from work, community service or the news.
Names and roles were checked against the official Dance with Spokane website. Listen to the podcasts here at trendingnorthwest.com/pod.
The live finale is Friday, November 13, at Riverside Place in downtown Spokane. Doors open at 6 p.m., the show is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and an after-party follows at 9 p.m. The event listing describes a red-carpet entrance, live DJ, no-host bar, complimentary light bites, professional dance performances and special guest entertainment.
A community introduction, one video at a time
In the second part of a Trending Northwest podcast conversation, co-producers Jesse Rennaker and Grace Leaf described the response to the videos as exciting. By the time the routines started appearing online, audiences had already had a chance to learn about the participants and their dance partners through interviews and games. The videos gave the community something new to react to: familiar leaders trying something they had not done before.
The team profiles show how varied the cast is. It includes people working in journalism, finance, health care, community services and the arts. The organizers said they were looking for people with heart, a strong connection to the community and a willingness to learn. Dance ability was not the first criterion. In the interview, they described a cast that has invested time in rehearsals, supported one another and grown close through the process.
The event’s three virtual challenges are called Decades, Spokane Staple and Tribute. The themes give the teams different ways to interpret music and performance before they bring their final routines to the live stage. The project’s social media channels and website have carried the videos, behind-the-scenes material and voting. The organizers also said the completed virtual rounds can be watched for free online, so people can follow the competition even if they cannot attend the finale.
Meet the seven Dance with Spokane teams
Erin Peterson and Kayliana Reeves bring local storytelling together with movement. Peterson is the founder and editor-in-chief of Trending Northwest Magazine and co-host of the Trending Northwest podcast, where she shares stories about the people and places that make the Inland Northwest special. The competition gives her a chance to trade the podcast studio for a dance studio and try something she has long wanted to explore. Reeves has danced since age seven, starting with hip-hop before expanding into jazz, contemporary, tap, freestyle and other styles. She has taught for more than a decade and performed at music festivals including EDC Las Vegas, Beyond Wonderland PNW and Lost Lands. Meet Erin and Kayliana.
Jene Ray and Jesse Rennaker pair community leadership with a career built around dance and live experiences. Ray is executive director of Northeast Community Center and The ZONE, working with residents and partners to improve outcomes for families in Northeast Spokane. Her career has included teaching, education policy, research, workforce development and community leadership. Ray also has previous dance experience, including college ballroom competition and ballet. Rennaker is founder and artistic director of Alegría Dance & Entertainment, as well as a dancer, choreographer, producer and creative director. A Spokane native, he uses movement and storytelling to create performances and events. Meet Jene and Jesse.
Jon Maroni and Heidi Reynolds are a high-energy pairing. Maroni is Financial Engagement Manager on Numerica Credit Union’s Community Impact and Communications team, where his work combines financial education with community outreach. He previously played Division III soccer and worked as a youth pastor, and received Numerica’s 2025 MVP Award. Reynolds teaches barre at SoulBarre and performs with Alegría Dance & Entertainment. Her background includes captaining a state-championship high school dance team, choreographing and leading Dance Force at Eastern Washington University, and developing dance and color guard programs at Central Valley High School. The team’s profile promises a performance with plenty of personality. Meet Jon and Heidi.
Tim Pham and Mikaela Boyle bring a journalist and educator to the dance floor. Pham is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and executive producer at KREM 2. He is used to telling other people’s stories, but this time he is taking on an unfamiliar challenge himself. In the interview, the organizers also described his participation as a way to bring attention to animal welfare. Boyle is a Spokane-based professional dancer, educator and fitness instructor. She performs with Vytal Movement Dance Company and Alegría, teaches Jazzercise and elementary fitness and health, and is an adjunct professor at Gonzaga University. Meet Tim and Mikaela.
Stephaine Courtney and Prosparetti Coleman connect maternal-health advocacy with dance and mentorship. Courtney is an educator, maternal-health advocate and founder of the Shades of Motherhood Network, which works to improve maternal-health outcomes and address disparities affecting Black and Brown mothers. Coleman’s dance foundation includes jazz, hip-hop and tap, with later training in salsa, cumbia, Afro-Cuban movement and other styles. She teaches and mentors, and in 2025 she and her sister received a Spokane Arts Grant to create a performing arts camp for children. Meet Stephaine and Prosparetti.
Jess Ponikvar and Christie Schmidt share a connection to music, though they usually experience it from opposite sides of the speakers. Ponikvar is a technology consultant, serves on the Spokane Public Radio board and has spent more than two decades as a hip-hop and club DJ. He is used to choosing the music. Now he is taking on the dance itself. Schmidt began dancing at age three and trained in ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop. Her performance credits include two seasons with the Seattle Storm Dance Troupe, Seattle Seahawks halftime performances and an Alvin Ailey production at the Paramount Theatre. She now performs, teaches, mentors and choreographs with Alegría. Meet Jess and Christie.
Jennifer Vigil and Arianna Lema bring health-care leadership, community service and live performance into one partnership. Vigil has spent three decades in health-care administration, operations and executive leadership, with a focus on health disparities and stronger communities. She serves on the boards of YWCA Spokane and Innovia Foundation, chairs the board of Mujeres in Action, and is the owner and lead singer of Son Dulce Live Salsa, a 12-piece traditional salsa orchestra. Lema has 16 years of dance training, with experience in competitive dance and theatrical productions. Her performance work has expanded into festivals, aerial arts, fire spinning and immersive experiences. Meet Jennifer and Ari.
Bringing Spokane’s dancers together
The participants are not the only people stepping into the spotlight. Rennaker and Leaf said that the project is also meant to create paid opportunities for working artists, so dancers can continue building careers in the Inland Northwest. The live finale will include performances by other dance studios from across the region, not only Alegría. A Seattle-based choreographer is also joining Leaf as a co-host.
For Rennaker, inviting other studios into the show is part of a larger idea about collaboration. In the interview, he and Leaf talked about how arts groups and nonprofits can sometimes feel they are competing for limited attention and resources. They hope a shared event can help organizations become more visible, build relationships and find ways to work together.
The production itself takes substantial coordination. The teams have filmed their final video routines, which were being released in the weeks before the finale. Now the dancers and community leaders are rehearsing for the live performances. The organizers are also coordinating sound, lighting and production with the different routines and guest performances.
There is a practical reason the organizers are asking for community support. The event requires paying dancers and covering costs for costumes, lighting and production. Rennaker and Leaf said they are volunteering their time and are not taking a fee. They welcome contributions toward those expenses, including small donations, and people who support the causes represented by the contestants can designate gifts to those organizations through the event website.
Making the event accessible
The organizers said that watching the online rounds is a free way to take part. The videos introduce the community leaders, the dancers and the organizations they care about, while giving viewers a chance to follow the competition from wherever they are. During the interview, Leaf also mentioned plans for a watch party at Rockwood Retirement Living, where residents would watch the videos together. She hopes the event can bring several generations into the same celebration.
For the live finale, organizers said there are different ticket price points and that student rush tickets may be available on the day of the event if seats remain. They noted that Spokane has a large student population, including students at Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga and the community colleges. Their goal is to give people multiple ways to participate.
The invitation extends to what guests wear, too. Leaf encouraged people not to spend more than they want on an outfit. A favorite decade-inspired look could fit the theme, but attendees are welcome to come as they are. The organizers want the room to feel like a Friday-night dance party, not a test of who has the right clothes.
The evening is designed to continue beyond the performances. Before the show, guests can arrive for music, light bites, a no-host bar and time to meet other attendees. After the finale, the DJ and open dancing will continue, with opportunities to meet the performers and celebrate the teams. The organizers said they hope to get several generations out on the dance floor.
A night built around connection
For Leaf, dance is a way people connect across ages and backgrounds. She described the finale as a celebration of humanity, the arts and Spokane. She also said she hopes the event offers a positive experience during a difficult season for the city. The aim is to give the community a few hours to come together, cheer for its neighbors and support organizations doing work across the region.
Rennaker said he is looking forward to seeing people feel connected to Spokane and proud of the work happening here. The event’s format gives the audience several points of entry: support a particular participant, learn about a local nonprofit, watch the videos online, contribute to production costs, or simply come to see what happens when community leaders step outside their usual roles.
Dance with Spokane: Live Finale takes place Friday, November 13, at Riverside Place, 1110 W. Riverside Ave., in downtown Spokane. Doors open at 6 p.m., the live finale begins at 7:30 p.m., and the after-party is scheduled for 9 p.m. Tickets are available through Eventbrite. Learn more about the teams, challenges and event at dancewithspokane.com.