RECONNECT DANCE COMMUNITY (formerly ART AS ACTION) is a tiny but mighty dance non-profit serving older adults, specifically people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and other progressive cognitive/movement disorders. Our work exemplifies how every BODY deserves access to the healing and liberating experience of dance through intentional, accessible, community-minded spaces. We are based in Broomfield and Westminster, Colorado.
Reconnect Dance Community values include:
Programs include:
RECONNECT WITH YOUR BODY DANCE CLASSES incorporate Jazz, Contemporary and Ballet and use popular music to inspire movement and expression. Participants can attend in-person or virtually.
Reconnect Director/Teacher Sarah Leversee has trained extensively with Dance for PD® founder, David Leventhal, who refers to her as “a leader in the field.”
THE ARTIVIST PROCESS invites Reconnect class participants interested in deepening their experience to become creators and performers. The Artivist Process is an inclusive collaborative framework where participants create pieces around a common theme culminating in an annual performance where:
The Artivist Process includes in-progress showings with constructive feedback, which shapes and strengthens each piece and weaves the show together into a cohesive narrative. The skills developed through The Artivist Process expand beyond the stage –building community and reinforcing a safe space where all voices are valued.
MORNING PAGES, an extension of The Artivist Process, is an online writing practice. Participants gather; one brings a prompt. Everyone writes for 15 minutes, then takes turns sharing. Another safe space to express emotions and take creative risks, many spoken word pieces in the annual performances originate from Morning Pages.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT creates opportunities for Reconnect participants to represent what is possible for a variety of bodies, including:
Reconnect Dance Community participants represent what is possible for a variety of bodies and often inspire attendees to say "I could do that!"
"In Reconnect, you get a gold star for showing up, and I take that to heart. I have done (virtual) class lying in bed when that was all I could muster. Reconnect embraces people where they are." – Participant with PD, age 55
“Reconnect has been a lighthouse for my mother-in-law (age 78). She has a community, something to strive towards, something to look forward to, and a safe container to express herself exactly as she is. Witnessing Reconnect performances, I have peered through new windows of the person I love and seen the most illuminating smiles shine through her face. I experienced the vastness of the light the dancers carry in their hearts.” – Family member
“Being able to do Reconnect class (on Zoom) from home is awesome. It gives me a community, a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose. Reconnect carries me through the day to day.” – Participant with PD, age 65
“Dancing with Reconnect (from my wheelchair) nourishes my identity, gives my spirit hope, and is just so fun!” – Participant with disability, age 68
Reconnect Dance Community brings people together at the intersection of dance, (dis)ability and creative potential.
After 23 years, Art as Action has become Reconnect Dance Community as of 2025.
Our small and mighty non-profit has evolved in so many ways since we began our Reconnect with your Body dance classes for people with and without Parkinson’s in 2011.
Our new name reflects that transformation - honoring the past, claiming the present and dreaming into our bright future.
In Reconnect class, you get a gold star just for showing up. Our new logo features that star, highlighting grace, compassion and permission
Art as Action (AaA) was founded in 2002 as a collective of Artivists - champions of the healing language of art. AaA programs use artistic expression to facilitate creative growth and personal transformation.
In 2011, AaA launched Reconnect with your Body (Reconnect), dance for people with and without Parkinson’s disease (PD), and began centering people with PD and other disability/chronic illness across all of its work. This shift was born from the recognition that every BODY should have access to the healing, liberating, and connective experience of creating art—but that there has long been a lack of community-minded dance spaces that are accessible and welcoming to all bodies/abilities.
To this end, AaA adapted their collaborative framework, The Artivist Process (TAP) to include this wide range of participants. TAP creates the building blocks of AaA’s annual show, unifying diverse ideas to construct cohesive original work. TAP offers a supportive environment where participants of all experience levels can take creative risks, build relationships and produce a compelling performance. As a result, all performers have equal voice, and all voices are amplified in the culminating performance.
Since 2014, Reconnect class participants have joined TAP and performed in the annual show. This has not only unleashed the dancers’ artistic potential, but also helped to influence a more inclusive performance. The inclusion of a wide range of performers has also attracted a varied audience who are then inspired to engage with AaA.
Ultimately, the growth of Reconnect and TAP have transformed AaA from a multi-disciplinary performance collective into a physically integrated dance company. AaA’s leadership team has also evolved to reflect the diverse community of dancers that organization serves.
Organization name
Reconnect Dance Community
other names
AaA
2002
Tax id (EIN)
45-4585064
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
3001 INDUSTRIAL LN, UNIT 12Broomfield County, CO, US