Rachel Oliver Young on the Why Behind BodyCraft
BBD|WT Development Director and BodyCraft Director Rachel Oliver Young writes about the curiosity, care, and creative longing that inspired BodyCraft: Youth ChoreoLAB, a new offering for young artists ready to explore movement on their own terms.
Written 1.27.26
When my daughter came home from dance class and announced that, “I don’t like dance,” my first instinct was to scoff, “Of course you do! You dance all the time!”
But don’t worry, my parenting is evolving. Instead, I asked a few questions (not as patiently as I could have, I’ll admit), and did uncover the truth: it wasn’t dance she disliked. It was being told what to do.
Fair. I get it.
And that sparked a tiny little idea.
Later, I spoke with a friend whose fifth-grade daughter feels it’s already “too late” to start dancing. She worries she’s behind, and she knows ballet, with its structure and precision, just isn’t her thing.
The spark started to grow.
We began asking ourselves bigger questions. How could we offer something meaningful without competing with the incredible youth opportunities already thriving in Missoula? How could we supplement existing training while staying true to our mission and artistic curiosities?
We kept tending the fire, slowly and intentionally, until something emerged that felt just right. Thus, a new Westside Theater program was born!:
BodyCraft: Youth choreoLAB
This program is for the kid who can’t stop moving (parkour on the playground? breakdancing in the kitchen?) who hasn’t quite found a home in organized sports.
It’s also for the classically trained ballet dancer who keeps making dances in their living room and is curious about exploring their own voice.
And for the boy who wants to dance, but might be a little shy of all of that glitter and pop music.
It’s for the young person overflowing with ideas who doesn’t love speaking in front of people, but has something important to say.
And for the kid who is already taking a bazillion dance classes, but wants more, and more, and more and more…
BodyCraft isn’t about costumes or perfection. It’s not about getting it “right.”
It’s about curiosity, exploration, and creative agency.
After nearly twenty years as a dance educator, working in private studios, colleges, schools, and residencies, I’m thrilled to design the program I wish I’d had growing up. I loved all of my technique classes, and also needed a little push to get out of my shell, be creative, stop worrying about perfectionism (and maybe get a little “weird!”).
BodyCraft meets each dancer exactly where they are, honoring their background while inviting them into stronger creative possibilities.
At its core, BodyCraft nurtures the inner artist. It offers tools and space to be curious, silly, daring, thoughtful, and wild.
It’s about showing up together, listening, responding, and trusting one another, rejoicing in movement, and discovering what happens when kids are given permission to be authentically themselves.
Learn more about BodyCraft: CLICK HERE.
February 2026 marks the launch of the program with opportunities expanding for the Fall of 2026.