Steamboat Dance Theatre is set to showcase what it brings to the community on the Strings Music Pavilion’s big stage during its third annual Local Dance Collective on Friday, Oct. 2.

“By us acting as the umbrella, we’re creating a space for artists to share their artistry on a bigger stage, which is really cool,” said Lori Biagi, executive director for Steamboat Springs Dance Theatre. “We started this to give the advanced dance community a venue that is a different model than our annual community concert.”

She said the event will bring together instructors, performing troupes and artists of the Yampa Valley to perform on a stage that typically hosts top-tier, national-level performers.

“The Collective shines a spotlight on the Yampa Valley’s artists and performers, paving the way for the dance community,” Biagi wrote in a news release. “Over the last three years Steamboat Dance Theatre has worked intentionally at creating programming and filling niches to bridge the gap between cost of living and accessibility to dance. We believe that a community is healthier through shared connection and experiences.”

Steamboat Dance Theatre puts $75,000 into the community annually through scholarships, dance to support longevity, cross-training for athletes, mental health, adaptive dance, dance on films, master classes and dance in schools. Those efforts are supported by grants, small fundraisers and the annual community concert, which is the group’s largest fundraiser of the year.

This year’s Dance Collective will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 at the Strings Music Pavilion. Tickets are available at SteamboatDanceTheatre.org. That website also offers a link to a silent auction that will help fund the event.