Read along monthly as we celebrate creativity, local events, shared stories, opportunities and artist spotlights.

IN THE NEWS
From the Truckee Cultural District

April is here, and with it comes a celebration of the arts in all forms! As National Poetry Month unfolds, Nevada County Arts is gearing up for the Sierra Poetry Festival on April 12, where words take center stage. Truckee will also celebrate by hosting its own Literary Crawl on April 5 in downtown. Mark your calendars for April 25, when Truckee pays homage to Jazz Appreciation Month in true Gatsby style— The Gatsby Jazz Club fundraiser will transport attendees back in time, all in support of the Alder Creek Middle School and Truckee High School band programs. Did you know it’s also Arts, Culture & Creativity Month in California and Nevada County by proclamation! We’ll be heading to the Capitol in Sacramento on April 23 to participate in Arts Advocacy Day!

Later in the month, we turn our gaze upward as we celebrate International Dark Sky Week from April 21-28. This global initiative encourages us to embrace the beauty of our night skies and consider ways to reduce light pollution.  More details on how to participate right here in Truckee!

We also want to take a moment to look back at some incredible community March moments. The March 26 Creatives Meetup at Tahoe Truckee School of Music was a lovely evening with student musicians stealing the show and proving that our local youth talent is nothing short of remarkable.

And to everyone who joined us for the Culture Forward Truckee Listening Sessions—thank you! Over two days and six sessions, 80 community members shared their passion, ideas, and vision for the future of arts and culture in Truckee. Your voices will directly inform the Arts & Culture Action Plan for Nevada County, ensuring that our creative ecosystem continues to thrive. Looking ahead, the next round of Listening Sessions will take place in Grass Valley and Nevada City from April 30 to May 1. If you missed the Truckee sessions, this is your chance to contribute.

Mark your calendars for the April 8 Town Council Meeting. Show up to support two important agenda items: a vote on the Library bond measure, shaping the future of our local library, and a Dark Skies update from Truckee Cultural District, with a presentation by our very own Programs Manager, Kellie Cutler.

Spring is shaping up to be a season of inspiration!

OPENING RECEPTION: TREESCAPES
Spring Art at the Airport

Treescapes brings together artists from the Truckee Cultural District, showcasing works in a variety of mediums that explore the beauty, form, and interpretation of trees. From intricate details of bark and branches to sweeping forest vistas, this exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the profound presence of trees rooted in our landscapes and lives.

The opening reception unveils this latest exhibit, part of the Art at the Airport program. Enjoy refreshments and live music from local artist, Cori Elba. When Cori isn’t making music, she explores art in many forms. Cori is also a flight attendant, and recipient of a 2024 Truckee Cultural District Mini-Grant.

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Tuesday, April 29

5:00 – 7:00 PM

10356 Truckee Airport Rd, Truckee, CA 96161

CULTURE FORWARD
Nevada County’s Arts & Culture Action Plan

Your input = real impact! Help shape the future of arts & culture in Nevada County by taking our quick Culture Forward survey. Whether you're an artist, arts lover, audience member, visitor, creative or business, your voice matters. Take pART today!

MUSE
Featured Stories

TRUCKEE’S DARK SKIES
International Dark Sky Week, April 21-28

Photo: “Old Hwy 40 At Night”, Scott Thompson

April 21-28 is International Dark Sky Week, a time to embrace the magic of our night skies and take action to protect them.

We’re kicking things off early with a Student Dark Skies Exhibition at Truckee Town Hall, featuring artwork from local students exploring the beauty and importance of our dark skies. Join us for the ribbon cutting and opening reception on April 18, in partnership with SWEP, TTUSD, the Town of Truckee, and the Truckee Cultural District.

Looking for more ways to engage? The Truckee Literary Crawl Open Mic at Alibi on April 5 will feature celestial-themed readings, and we encourage everyone to Take the Dark Sky Pledge to help keep our skies starry. Plus, don’t forget local lighting rebates are still available! Now is the time to switch to dark sky-friendly lighting before summer.

FUNDING & OPPORTUNITIES

SCENE & UNSEEN
April Events

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Lily Fay

TCD: Can you describe your journey as a dancer so far?

FAY: My journey as a dancer began when I was three years old. I started dancing at InnerRhythms, and I have stuck with it ever since. I took every class I could at the studio in all genres. Hip-hop, ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, and I just fell in love with it. When I was seven years old, I became an apprentice of the jazz and contemporary performing team, and the next year I became a member of the hip hop team. Dance became my second home, and by fourth grade, I began assisting in younger kids’ classes, and I found my passion for teaching.

When the pandemic hit a couple of years later, InnerRhythms shut down. My mom and I were determined to find a way to keep the studio alive. I organized free outdoor dance classes to keep the community engaged, and by the end of the summer, we had 15 kids participating. We eventually got back into the studio with the help of my hip-hop teacher Brandon for the first couple of years and I was able to continue teaching, and now my mom is the executive director and the studio is thriving tremendously. This experience deepened my love for dance and strengthened my commitment to sharing it with others.

Through all the ups and downs, I kept expanding my horizons. For a few years, I took classes in Reno and more recently, I go down to Cupertino with one of my closest friends, Avery, to step outside my rural community. I also attend dance conventions and competitions in Santa Clara and Reno to challenge myself, learn from new instructors, and dance with different people. The past few years I have auditioned for the Joffrey Ballet School’s Summer Intensives, attending the Joffrey West multi-genre intensive in Long Beach in 2023 and Joffrey Las Vegas Jazz and Contemporary intensive in 2024. This year, I’m excited to attend the Complexions Ballet Academy Intensive in Los Angeles as well as return to the Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary Intensive in Las Vegas. 

The more I train, the more I realize how important it is to have fun with dance and that dance gives you the space to be whoever you want to be. It’s about the creative expression, the joy of movement, and connecting with others. I’m excited to keep pushing my limits, and I look forward to wherever dance will take me next.

TCD: What has been the most challenging aspect of being a dancer?

FAY: One of the most challenging aspects of being a dancer is balancing my many commitments. I’ve always had a busy schedule, but junior year has been especially demanding. I’m deeply committed to everything I do and always give 100%. In addition to my rigorous dance schedule—teaching and training at the studio every day after school—I am in the leadership class at Truckee High as well as Junior class president, co-president of the Envirolution Club, and take several challenging courses, including AP classes like AP Calculus, along with college courses at Sierra College.

Managing my time between academics, leadership roles, and dance can be difficult, especially with the heavy workload from some of my academic classes. Finding time for homework and studying while maintaining my responsibilities has been a challenge; I wish there were more hours in the day! But I have learned to stay organized and prioritize effectively. I still maintain strong grades and fulfill my commitments, but I’m working on creating a more balanced schedule to reduce stress while continuing to pursue everything I love.

TCD: Have you ever choreographed your own piece? If so, what was that experience like?

FAY: Yes! Choreographing is one of my favorite things to do. Ever since I was little, I would make up solos in my room and perform them for my parents. The first piece I ever choreographed that was performed on stage was in fifth grade. I created it in the small space between my bed and closet door and taught it to my friends, Ella and Keanna. The piece, set to the song Let Her Go by Passenger, was about the bittersweet feeling of watching your best friends leave for college—something I dreaded since Keanna and Ella were older than me. Just a week after learning the piece, we performed it at a competition in Sacramento and won platinum. One of the judges even complimented the choreography, and from that moment, my love for choreographing only grew.

Another favorite piece of mine was a hip-hop routine I choreographed in May 2022 while stuck at home with Covid. Once I recovered, I taught it to my friends Lucia and Greta, who helped me fine-tune it, and a few days later, we performed it at the InnerRhythms end-of-year showcase.

Most weekends (if I don’t have too much homework), I come to the studio to choreograph or explore with improvisation. Sometimes I turn on the song and I just let the music move me, but I also love to lay on the floor with the lights off and really listen to the music and find parts of it that might be a bit more subtle or unique, so I can make that come to life. When I’m choreographing, especially if it is a more emotional style like contemporary, I like to connect the piece with what it means to me. I often connect different parts of the choreography with specific moments in my life, allowing me to truly and authentically express myself. 

Along with that, I love to blend different elements of contemporary and hip-hop together. My close friend Avery has really helped me explore choreography and breaking the traditional boundaries to what is considered “contemporary” versus “hip-hop”. Her style is so unique and she has really inspired me to find who I am as a dancer and choreographer—something I’m still discovering. Together, we have choreographed two duets, merging hip-hop elements like house, breaking, and tutting with contemporary technique. Experimenting with different styles has pushed me to think outside the box, and I love the creative freedom that comes with it.

TCD: Where do you see yourself in the future with dance? Do you want to pursue it professionally?

FAY: In the future, I plan to go to a four-year college with a strong dance program, aiming to double major in dance and another subject, recognizing that while dance is my passion, I should have a backup plan and alternate career path. There are a couple of schools in New York that I'm interested in, but the majority of the schools I plan to apply to are in Southern California. My ultimate goal is to pursue dance professionally. I don’t have a super mapped out plan after college because I want to go with the flow and see where dance takes me, whether that’s a path down the commercial dance track or concert dance track. I’m eager to experience a variety of dance opportunities and see what best suits me. But a dream of mine has always been to perform on tour with an artist like Chris Brown or Beyoncé. When I was younger and my family and I would go to a concert, or if someone was playing the guitar in a restaurant, I would get up in front of everyone and start dancing. I love performing, as well as traveling, and combining these two passions would be a dream come true. 

TCD: What advice would you give to other young dancers who want to follow their passion?

FAY: My biggest advice to young dancers is to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way and make the most of it. Growing up in a small, rural community, dance opportunities are limited. That’s why I’ve always sought out ways to expand my training—whether it’s taking an extra class, learning from a guest artist, attending a convention, or auditioning for intensives.

I love InnerRhythms and continue to grow there every day, but I truly saw the most growth when I stepped outside my comfort zone. Training at intensives, conventions, and different studios exposed me to new styles, choreography, and teaching methods. Every experience left me feeling truly inspired and gave me valuable knowledge that I could bring back to my home studio and apply to my dancing, and to my life. The more you push yourself to explore and learn, the more you will grow—not just as a dancer, but as an artist and individual.

______________________

“I can't think of a specific story from teaching, but here's a little paragraph I wrote about the funny things they say in class: 

I absolutely love teaching young kids. They also never fail to make me laugh. Sometimes, they raise their hands with the urgency of needing a bathroom break—only to excitedly tell me their favorite color is purple, they had spaghetti and meatballs for lunch, or their sister went to the dentist today. Every now and then, they say something so unexpected that I completely lose my train of thought and burst out laughing.

Teaching has helped me build confidence and strong communication skills. In just two minutes, I might need to tie a shoe, remind someone to keep their clothes on, stop another from taking their second bathroom break, and still keep 15 kids on track as they leap across the floor—all at the same time. It can be chaotic, but it is so fulfilling and brings me so much joy. Watching their progress and seeing their passion for dance grow in the studio I’ve helped create is incredibly rewarding.”

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