Left Hand Laurel: Catherine McHale

Catherine McHale is the recipient of the Left Hand Valley Courier’s Left Hand Laurel for her volunteer work in Niwot, most notably establishing the popular event, “Dancing Under the Stars.”

McHale owns Power & Purpose Marketing in Niwot, and has been a member of the Niwot community for about 13 years. She was Niwot’s Economic Development Director for a number of years, leading efforts to fill Niwot’s commercial spaces.

She started getting involved in the community as a business owner. “After a few years, I started getting involved with the business community because I have a local business, and started doing some work for the town of Niwot, and just getting involved in all the different events that are happening,” McHale said. She not only got involved with existing community events, but brought a new one to town.

Dancing Under the Stars was established at the University of Colorado in Boulder by Tom Masterson, who owns Danceophile Studio in Boulder. In 2019 when McHale learned that the Boulder Dancing Under the Stars was being canceled because its venue was no longer available, she saw a great opportunity to bring it to Niwot and create a now cherished public event. Together with Masterson, they were able to bring it to Cottonwood Square.

Dancing Under the Stars runs weekly through the warmer half of the year, typically from June through September. Each night showcases a variety of dance styles, including Cuban salsa and swing, as well as contra and waltz. A dance lesson on the style for the night starts at 7 p.m., and the floor is opened up for everyone from 7:45 until 9:30 p.m.

Typically a DJ provides music for the evening, but occasionally live musicians are available for added ambiance. Guests from previous seasons include the Flatirons Jazz Orchestra and Tattered Lace, a fiddle and piano duo, with Niwot resident Teri Rasmusson on the strings.

McHale has done an immense amount of work to keep this event free for everyone. She obtained the blessing of Cottonwood Square owner Alex Chlebek to take over part of the parking lot on the west end of the shopping center, and gained the support and participation of nearby businesses such as Winot Coffee and Niwot Tavern.

She also obtained sponsorships from local businesses in Cottonwood Square, as well as the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) and the Niwot Business Association (NBA). These sponsorships allow attendees to come each week for free, while still receiving instruction from professional and knowledgeable teachers. McHale also arranges for porta potties for the event, and installation and removal of a portable dance floor each week.

Dancing Under the Stars encourages participants to practice their dancing with people they might not know as well, promoting a close-knit community in Niwot. While it’s common to bring a friend, the instructors make sure everyone has someone to dance with, and they mix up the pairs from time to time. This way, beginners can practice with someone with more experience, and advanced dancers can share their tips and tricks.

McHale herself is an enthusiastic participant in the Boulder County dance scene. She started in ballet as a child, but her favorite style is now salsa. She looks forward to next year’s season of Dancing Under the Stars and watching the event continue to grow.