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NAHANT ― Dancers will soon flood the town for a chance to show their skills to Forty Steps Dance, founded by Nahant resident Salee Slagle.
The company will host auditions on Saturday for the modern dance company just in time for the troupe’s 30th-anniversary celebration. The auditions will be held at Dance Dimensions studio, 41 Valley Road, at 3:30 p.m.
“We are celebrating our 30th anniversary, which is what we are preparing for,” said Slagle. “This has been a creative outlet for me as a performer and other dancers.”
The company was founded by Slagle in 1992. Starting at 3 years old, Slagle fell in love with ballet first, like many other dancers. She then was introduced to modern dance, where she later put most of her focus toward.
Receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Boston Conservatory, she has had the opportunity to perform throughout New England, the Caribbean, and Europe.
The name Forty Steps Dance came easily to its founder. Referencing the famous Forty Steps Beach, a beloved landmark in town, the name felt right for a Nahant dance company, Slagle said.
The dance company performs modern dance for the town and other locations, as well as educational workshops for all ages and abilities. It is based out of Dance Dimensions, a dance and fitness studio in Nahant.
During the pandemic, Slagle continued to choreograph and educate dancers virtually. As COVID-19 restrictions began to relax, she started to reintroduce in-person performances and practices. For the last two years, performances have taken place outside, on Bailey’s Hill.
Slagle is aiming to have the coming year’s performances, as well as her 30th-anniversary show, take place outside as well as a safety precaution.
“We went back home to Nahant after the pandemic, and we just did our last performance out at Bailey’s Hill,” she said.
Slagle also hopes the alumni of Forty Steps Dance will gather for the performances in the coming spring and summer in a celebration of the dance company’s history, as well as all of its past, present, and future dancers.
Slagle is looking for both male and female dancers with strong dance backgrounds. While she does expect some experience, she is open to dancers with unique and different dance styles.
“I hope to really celebrate all that’s been created throughout the 30 years, to gather and celebrate all that’s been created, including the dancers who’ve helped create it, because without them, I don’t have art without dancers,” said Slagle.
If anyone is interested in auditioning this Saturday for the spring-summer 2022 performance season, please contact Slagle at sallee@fortystepsdance.org or call 781-599-1476.
