Inaugural Tie Dye Trot April 14

These colors will run.

For the inaugural Tie Dye Trot, though, that’s the whole point.

The 5K race hits the Boone Greenway Sunday, April 14, at 2 p.m., with proceeds benefiting the High Country Dance Studio.

Race day participants can challenge themselves with the 5K, and kids 12 and younger can sign up for a one-mile fun run. However, all participants should be prepared to get messy, organizer Amy Forrester said, as the dancers and other volunteers will toss clouds of rainbow-colored dye in their direction.

Even the spectators will not be shorted on entertainment, she said, as the Tie Dye Trot will feature plenty of performances, bounce houses and a community mural.

Race registration costs $35 per individual in advance, $45 per individual the day of the race, $85 for a family (parents and up to three children younger than 15) in advance, and $95 for a family the day of the race. Pre-registration ends March 23.

Groups, including youth groups and sports teams, will receive a special rate if they register by March 15 by emailing (amyforrester1977@gmail.com)

Race T-shirts will only be guaranteed to those who pre-register and complete payment three weeks in advance, Forrester said, adding, “If you miss the T-shirt cutoff, we advise wearing a solid, white T-shirt and creating your own tie dye.”

Of course, there will still be plenty of color to go around.

According Forrester, the dancers planned the race to raise money to offset the cost of their trip to Disney World in June.

This trip, however, isn’t just for pleasure. A few months back, the award-winning local dancers were approved to dance at Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla.
Studio director Amber Hendley and her instructors encourage growth and community participation by accepting invitations for local performance opportunities, Forrester said.

“However, based on the nature of small-town life, the girls have not had the chance to travel, as a group, to a different place to share their talents and joy for performance with a wider audience,” she said. “We don’t go unless the whole team can go, and that means family, too.”

Could some of them go without raising funds? Probably, she said, but as Hendley puts it, “That’s not how we operate. We want to make it happen for the whole group, because we think every child deserves the same experience.”

Any earnings beyond the cost of the Disney trip will go directly to the High Country Dance Studio scholarship fund, which helps dancers expand their skill base.

The studio, home of the High Country Cloggers, teaches classes in clogging, jazz, hip-hop and creative movement and is also home of the Mini Mountaineers, Appalachian State University’s youngest dance team. Making its student body all the more diverse, dancers range in age from 3 to 63.

“They learn and perform with heart and passion and are developing skills and fitness,” Forrester said. “They can use their gifts to participate in their community. They are more than a team. They are family.”

This family’s also in the habit of giving. Forrester said the dancers regularly perform at local fundraisers for families in need, nursing homes, Special Olympics rallies and Relay For Life events, while also orchestrating food drives for area school children.

For more information on High Country Dance Studio, visit http://www.hcdancestudio.com. For more information on the Tie Dye Trot or to register, visit http://www.bit.ly/TieDyeTrot, or contact Tracy Tilley at (tracywtilley@skybest.com) or Amy Forrester at (amyforrester1977@gmail.com)