5th Annual · Saturday, January 30, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Wachholz College Center at FVCC
This is what you are signing up for.
Part dance competition. All heart.
Every couple is a pair of local community members, matched with a professional instructor who teaches them a routine from the ground up. On gala night they take the floor in costume in front of a packed house. Our judges name Best of Show, and the crowd crowns People's Choice with their votes. Last year more than 500 people filled the room, and every ticket and every vote turned into warmth for a neighbor who needed it.
The stars of the show are our dancers.
Could that be you? No experience needed, just an appetite for fun and community. Here is everything the role involves.
You bring the courage. We bring the rest.
You will not learn alone
Every couple is paired with a professional instructor who picks a style that fits you and helps you choose your music. Six to twelve free lessons get you ready for the big night.
Five hundred people, cheering
Last year more than 500 guests packed the house to cheer the dancers on. That kind of crowd has a way of turning nerves into a rush you will not forget.
A cheerleader who has your back
Each couple names a Cheerleader who rallies your crowd, runs the noisemakers, and keeps the votes coming. You get to focus on the dance floor.
Trophies and bragging rights
Our judges name Best of Show. The crowd names People's Choice with their votes. The competition is friendly. The bragging rights are real.
Here is how the season goes.
Say yes
Read the Dance Couple Agreement so you know what you are signing up for, then register online or on paper. Whichever is easier.
Meet your instructor
Early October. We host a Meet and Greet at the Warming Center, where you find out who you are dancing with and start dreaming up your number.
Learn your dance
Six to twelve free lessons at a pace that fits your life. Your instructor sets the length of your performance and helps you look like you have done this before.
Dress rehearsal
Friday, January 29, 2027. A full run in costume under the lights, and one of the most fun nights of the whole experience. It is where the nerves give way to excitement.
Gala night
Saturday, January 30, 2027. Lights up at the Wachholz College Center. Your video plays, the crowd rises, and you take the floor.
Every step you take across that dance floor helps a neighbor take a step toward home.
Ready to say yes?
Register online in a few minutes, or ask for a paper form. We will make it easy either way.
Questions? Reach Tonya Horn, Executive Director, at 406-250-8652.
Share your craft for a cause.
We pair each dance couple with a professional instructor who brings their routine to life. If you teach, choreograph, or run a studio, we would love to have you shape one of this year's performances and put your talent behind the Warming Center's mission.
Choreograph your couple
Assess your dance couple, choose a style and music that fit them, and prepare a 1.5 to 2 minute routine for gala night. Style, music, costuming, and props are a collaboration between you, your couple, and the Program Director.
Six to twelve practices
Schedule no fewer than six one-hour practices per couple, up to twelve at your discretion. Once couples are assigned, you set the schedule. Bring any scheduling snags to the Program Director.
Dress rehearsal, January 29
A full-costume dress rehearsal at the Wachholz College Center on Friday, January 29, 2027, anticipated 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. Attendance is required.
Two tickets, plus a spotlight
Each instructor receives two tickets, for yourself and a guest, with more available for immediate family by advance request. Your bio, studio info, or ad is featured alongside every couple you instruct.
Important dates
Kickoff at the Warming Center
Meet the Dance Director and event Director, meet your couple, and tour the shelter. Exchange contact info, set your first practice, and share your couple's dance style and shoe recommendations.
Music selections due
Send your music choices to Dance Director Chelsea Speer for final approval.
Costumes started
Work with your couple to select and order costume pieces, then share the details with Chelsea.
Bio and studio info due
Send a short bio, a photo, and your logo if it is your studio's first year to Joel at flatheadwarmingcenter@gmail.com. Include your background, years of experience, any certificates or awards, why you joined, and a website or Facebook link.
Schedule your video practice
Schedule one practice and invite Chelsea so we can film your couple's introduction video and check that the flow of the dances works together.
Final music cut due
Submit your music to Chelsea, cut to between 90 seconds and 2 minutes.
Dress rehearsal (mandatory)
A full-costume dress rehearsal at the Wachholz College Center.
Gala night
Soles of the Flathead at the Wachholz College Center. Arrive at least 30 minutes before the pop-up (time to be confirmed) in formal attire, and bring your costumes to the dressing rooms.
Questions about instructing? Reach Dance Director Chelsea Speer at (406) 212-0422 or turningpointedance1322@gmail.com.
The Warming Center exists to save lives, link people to resources, and encourage dignity through low-barrier access to a warm, safe place for those in need.
We take care of each other in the Flathead.
Relive the last few years.
Browse the photo galleries from the last two galas, or watch the 2025 highlight reel.
Event photography by Thewmatt Photography.
Four ways to be part of the night.
Fill a seat and cheer
Bring your people and make the room roar. Your ticket is a direct gift to the Warming Center, and the evening is worth every minute.
Tickets on sale early OctoberBack your favorite couple
Every vote is a $5 donation, and the couple with the most votes takes home People's Choice. Vote once or vote a hundred times. It all goes to the mission.
Voting opens soonBe one of the stars
No experience needed. A pro instructor gets you ready over six to twelve free lessons, and you take the floor on gala night. Couples are forming now.
Become a dance couplePut your name behind it
Sponsorship keeps the event costs low so more of every dollar reaches our neighbors. We will build a package that fits your business.
Talk sponsorshipPast champions of Soles of the Flathead.
Best of Show
- 2026Kelly and Shelby Olivier
- 2025Dorothy Drury and Tom Hollo
- 2023Luke and Unique Heffernan
- 2022Sheriff Brian and Brandy Heino
People's Choice
- 2026Jack and Anita Lavin
- 2025Paul and Kelly Berkram
- 2023Bonni and Rob Quist
- 2022Nick and Jacque’ Aemisegger
Mark January 30 and watch this space.
Tickets go live in late October.