In its fourth year since its founding, Arts Lab Desert Peaks invites dancers from across the United States to a two-week workshop in Las Cruces.

The workshop began on July 22 and runs through August 3, when the public is invited to watch two public performances. There is also a community gathering planned for July 25 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Rentfrow Hall with a live DJ and free food.

Fourteen professional dancers from various companies – Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Eisenhower Dance Detroit and Newport Contemporary Ballet – will meet “pre-professional” artists from the USA and Mexico during the workshop.

Joshua L. Peugh, a native of Las Cruces, will be the workshop’s choreographer, while other teachers will lead classes in technique and choreography. Peugh is the choreographer for Dark Circles Contemporary Dance.

“The program fosters a supportive environment for professional development, networking and community building. Dancers become fully immersed in our community and their craft, expanding their personal and artistic boundaries,” a press release said.

The public will benefit from the dancers’ hard work, as public performances are scheduled for Saturday, August 3, at 9 and 10 a.m. on the Plaza de Las Cruces stage. The performance will take place during the downtown Las Cruces Farmers Market.

“Arts Lab Desert Peaks is not just about art; it’s about breathing life into our local economy,” the press release states. The dancers live and shop in Las Cruces during the workshop, contributing to the local economy.

This year’s Arts Lab Desert Peaks is sponsored by a grant from the Devasthali Family Foundation Fund, the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, and in collaboration with New Mexico State University.

This article originally appeared in the Las Cruces Sun-News: Dancers participate in workshop in Las Cruces, public performance planned