By Jessica Hudgins
SDUN Reporter
Located on University Avenue in North Park, Eveoke is a non-profit organization designed to bring the community together through evocative dance. The theatre’s upcoming poker tournament is Eveoke’s latest effort to create community involvement while simultaneously raising the money it needs to stay afloat.
“All non-profits are in the position to use innovative ways to raise funds right now,” Executive Director Nikki Dunnan said. “But we also want to give our community a way to celebrate and have fun with us.”
Eveoke’s main goal is to “cultivate compassionate social action,” according to its mission statement. The people behind the curtains make this possible by raising awareness of the importance of art in the community, educating the art-hungry and providing easy access to everyone regardless of social status or income.
“We intend to use dance as a form of expression as social import,” Dunnan said. “[In our performances] we send [the audience] a message about the world around them and them in it. We want to inspire people to make change either within themselves or within the community.”
The talent at Eveoke Dance Theatre isn’t limited only to its North Park studio. In addition to the 40 classes taught each week at this location, the instructors of Eveoke’s educational outreach program provide more the 20 classes per week in schools and community centers throughout the region.
These classes are made available to the entire community regardless of dance experience or ability to pay.
“There is no reason that people can’t have an art experience with Eveoke, and that’s what makes us so important,” Dunnan said.
“Ante Up for Eveoke” will help fund those efforts. Starting at 5:00 p.m. on July 10, the tournament requires a $60 buy-in to play or $10 for spectators.
With enough seating for 60 players, Eveoke’s goal is to raise $4,000 dollars at the event.
“We’re starting off on a small scale with five to six tables,” Marketing Director Alynn Silliman said. “We hope to grow in the future and make it an annual event.”
It’s never all about the money at Eveoke Dance Theatre. It’s about letting the community know they exist and that art is something from which everyone can benefit.
“Ideally we want to bring in a new crowd of people,” Silliman said. “We want to expand in all areas of the organization, whether it’s new donors, new patrons or new faces in the audience.”
Sitting behind the red velvet rope, spectators who are too scared to bluff can enter a raffle to win a new iPod, Flip video camera or various gift certificates donated by community businesses.
Eveoke Dance Theatre is at 2811 University Ave. in North Park. For more information about the theatre or the tournament, go to eveoke.org.
