Meet Mary Elizabeth Lenahan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Elizabeth Lenahan, the Artistic & Executive director and founder of the inclusive dance company who shared their story with us below:

Can you name the tiny non-profit that has been the best-kept secret in northern Colorado for over 30 years? If you said “Dance Express in Fort Collins” then you are among the privileged few sharing in the delights of this inclusive dance company. Sweet, petite, blue-eyed blonde, Theresa Lenahan, liked to dance and had a natural sense of rhythm and musicality thanks to having Down syndrome.

Growing up with her sister, Mary Elizabeth Lenahan, they danced together at polka hops on sunny, summer Sunday afternoons, at weddings, and at dance parties. Because of these experiences, Mary Elizabeth wanted to create a dance company for persons with disabilities. While completing her masters in occupational therapy at Colorado State University, she helped audition the first members of the dance troupe that became Dance Express.

That was in 1989. Under the guidance of the then-new CSU Department of Dance Director, Jane Slusarski-Harris, and with the vision of Mark Rosoff, studying recreational therapy at UNC, Lenahan worked with the original company. In 1992, Dance Express was incorporated in Colorado and received a federal 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable designation. Dance Express serves people with and without disabilities, such as Down syndrome, autism, and developmental delay. Via performances, collaborations, and community outreach, Dance Express serves thousands of people of all ages and abilities each year.

Dance Express aligns with dancers with or without disabilities; with volunteers for dance training and choreography and for serving on the board of directors. Not only is Dance Express an integral part of the arts community, it also is an important segment of the broader community serving people of all ages. The message we deliver is that disabilities do not need to be barriers to success.

Since its founding, Dance Express has collaborated with Colorado State University Department of Dance, Canyon Concert Ballet, Impulse Dance and Fitness, DanceAbility International, Front Range Classical Ballet Academy, Aire Flamenco, and many other dance professionals. Since the company is for adults over 16, Dance Express is able to align with area schools and agencies to bring dance to youth and children.

Dance Express dancers and audiences develop invisible connections. When asked what her favorite part of dancing was, one dancer replied in her gentle voice, “Audiences.” Receiving acclaim and recognition is rewarding and validates individual dance contributions. The mother of a dancer, who faithfully supports her daughter in her pursuit of the dance dream says, “Dance is an important part of her life.”

One audience member seeing Dance Express for the first time “just couldn’t stop smiling.” Clearly, the feelings on both sides of the footlights are positive and reciprocal. Dancers give their best and audiences receive their joyful energy. Audiences give their applause and the dancers receive the praise… a win-win interaction.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Balancing the joy of dance with artistic choreography is a regular challenge. It is interesting to reflect on how dancers engage with us. One of our dancers who began with the original troupe in February 1989, performed in her final concert in December 2023, dancing with Dance Express for 35 years. Change happens and having a consistent company without a school to back us, requires ingenuity, perseverance, dedication, and community engagement. We are dedicated to creating artistic, creative productions and to honoring the talents and leadership of individual dancers. Overcoming the perception that careers in the arts are “a hobby” certainly creates challenges; the hours and hours of planning, preparation, thoughtfulness, and research to fulfill our mission of improving lives through dance are largely invisible to the general public.

All right, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As the artistic and executive director and founder of Dance Express, I encourage dancers to connect with one another. Rather than rigid choreography that leaves out imagination, we strive to bring dance and individual ideas to the stage. Of course, the music we use directs the choreography primarily, however, we also tune into what can happen together.

Having a board of directors, we are a non-profit, or social profit agency serving northern Colorado, specifically Fort Collins and Loveland.  Dancers and volunteers connect with the community through performances at theatres and in community settings and may participate for ten or twenty years with the company. Volunteers tend to have a shorter commitment, varying from one semester to eight or more years.  Enthusiastically and delightfully, we  engage with audiences in our annual productions and dance training. Each star shares one-of-a-kind choreography ranging from graceful, lyrical ballet-like movement to free-form, hip-hop-style dancing. Under professional lights at the Lincoln Center or in the open air at Oak Street Plaza when we were a part of Streetmosphere, dancers create a unique dance signature.

Dance Express members are 16 years of age and older. To serve younger dancers, Dance Express offers adaptive dance workshops in community centers and schools to augment the arts curriculum. Often, students from a local school group share the stage for an annual production. Although the media dictates much of what we perceive as art and dance artistry, Lenahan still holds to finding each person’s individual dance “voice”.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Innovation, creativity, and courage to make changes in our lives and culture are valuable assets, not only in the dance and creative arts communities but also in our social and political realms. Opening our eyes, hearts, and doors to creative opportunities for everyone is part of our humanity. In the more than 30 years since Dance Express was founded, many inclusive dance and movement opportunities in the nation and the world have arisen.

Recognizing that we do not need to be perfect to dance and that we can delight in movement for the sheer joy of it are important ideas to communicate. Many standard dance companies and dance schools realize that including people with disabilities in their community is very valuable. By using dance to create and express who you are without words, people can discover new ways to communicate. As an industry, inclusive dance is becoming a norm.

Dance Express Artistic and Executive Director, Mary Elizabeth Lenahan, MS OT, wears many hats. With occupational therapy and eurythmy background, she teaches classes locally. She has the ambition to write a series of  books about the journey of creating an inclusive dance company;  her first book will be “Dance With Me”. She is happy to be in the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities, Colorado Change Leaders, and in glorious Colorado.

Dance Express holds a place for the arts in the heart of Fort Collins. We envision meeting the community long-term need for an inclusive, cooperative, expressive and healing arts center in a centralized, accessible location for small arts groups, non-profits, and individuals with and without disabilities.  This would be a collaborative effort that could perceivably be a model for shared space with for-profit and non-profit arts groups, wellness practitioners, and social entrepreneurs.

As we dance into the future, we foster innovation, equity, creativity, and courage to make the needed changes in our lives. The legacy of Theresa Lenahan lives on in Dance Express. We hope you will have the opportunity to enjoy this valuable gift to the community.

Pricing:

• Tickets: $20 to $25

Contact Info:

• Website: www.danceexpressfc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dance_expressfc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanceExpressFC/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danceexpress/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/@DanceFC
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DanceExpressFC
• Other: https://www.alignable.com/fort-collins-co/dance-expressmaryelizabeth@danceexpressfc.com

Image Credits
Jim, Geran, Lenahan, and Jaxson