Put on your fancy clothes and head to Vegas this Saturday - at the Auburn Public Theater when it hosts the fifth annual Absolute Dance fundraiser gala.

The event helps raise money for the not-for-profit dance company while entertaining people in the process.

“Doing the gala is a great way to get the community involved. ... It helps us fund the activities that we do for the year,” said Absolute Dance artistic director Yvonne Hassett.

This year's Las Vegas theme will feature casino-style games, a silent auction, songs by Diane Jacobs and performances by members of the Absolute Dance Company.

The past four years, Hassett chose Broadway and New York as themes for the gala, so she wanted to do something different. The inspiration for the theme came from Mia Michaels, who was the choreographer for Celine Dion's Las Vegas show, Hassett said.

Since not everyone has the opportunity to go to the West Coast, the event is a nice way to bring that type of show and theme to Auburn, she said.

Hassett enjoys planning the party and seeing how everything comes together.

“My favorite part is definitely picking the theme every year ... and just watching everybody have a good time and being entertained and watching a professional-caliber show,” she said.

Although the gala is a fundraiser for the dance company, it's also an important community event.

“Bringing that variety to the community is a nice thing to have,” Hassett said. “It brings people together for a celebration of the company and dance.”

Gitana Mirochnik

253-5311 ext. 237

gitana.mirochnik@lee.net