Thursday, October 1, 2026
When you hear the name “Death Dancer,” what images come to mind? Perhaps Walt Disney’s dancing skeletons from his "Silly Symphony," the Haunted Mansion, or the dance scenes from Netflix’s "Wednesday." There is a certain sexy quality society often associates with death, especially during the spooky season.
I enjoy my share of Halloween fun, but today I invite you to look at the other side of the coin — the side that embraces the remembrance at the heart of this time of year. It is the side where people dance with these hard topics, not just when the calendar specifically tells them to, but every day.
About a year ago, I met Jennie Beth Banks and Rebecca Leach of Death Dancer, a Thurston County 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and wrote about them in a column.
As described on its website, Death Dancer “creates creative and sacred spaces, hosting arts and cultural events relating to death, dying, loss and living, to foster community in the South Sound.”
To achieve this, Death Dancer “collaborates with local artists, therapists, death professionals and workshop facilitators, and provides end-of-life education, awareness, and advocacy, to inspire a harmonious life and death.”
I am delighted to share Death Dancer is entering a new chapter with the debut of a new space, The Edge, located in the former Ballet Northwest studio, also known as the Jefferson Street Arts Center. The space is now home to Death Dancer alongside Oly Theater and Theater Artists Olympia.
The Edge will open its doors during this weekend's Olympia Fall Arts Walk 2026, offering an array of artistic and meaningful events.
I cannot encourage you enough: don’t simply glance through this column. Take your time with it. Sit with it. See where Death Dancer speaks to your heart.
A true hub for creativity, Death Dancer embraces a wide range of artistic mediums, including but certainly not limited to:
These mediums will be well represented by the more than 16 artists featured in the Fall Arts Walk exhibition, “Welcome to The Edge — Perspectives on Death, Dying, Loss & Living.” All events and activities are free, donations are welcomed.
Alongside the art exhibits and performances, attendees will have opportunities to participate in Collage Mandala Making and the Griever’s Grotto Interactive Community Memorial, as well as:
You can find the times for all of these events here.
Unable to make it to Arts Walk? You can sign up for Death Dancer’s newsletter at the bottom of its websit and keep an eye on its events page and JOLT events calendar for other opportunities to connect.
A space created by the community, for the community, The Edge is inviting and comforting, with various areas designed to accommodate the many events Death Dancer hosts.
To learn more about this new space, I had the opportunity to chat with Jennie Beth Banks and Rebecca Leach, who shared insight into how The Edge came to be.
“Two years ago, at Arts Walk, I showed some of my personal artwork at a show I called ‘On the Edge: Perspectives on Death, Dying, Loss, & Living.’ We kept up with that theme last year with ‘Being Edgy.’ We kept brainstorming ideas, but we came back to one of our original ideas, ‘The Edge,’ and it just felt right.”
Banks continued, “We thought, what could ‘The Edge’ stand for? Within that, we came up with an acronym that says: Embracing Death and Grief Experiences, which sums up the vibe of what we do, keeping inclusivity at the heart. The name itself is also open to various interpretations — like dancing on the edge of life and death every minute.”
Adding to that, Leach shared, “We have discovered that having these hard topics be part of daily conversation helps so many people. At our events, we can laugh and embrace joy, which you wouldn’t expect.”
Leach continued, “The Edge is different compared to other spaces that offer grief groups. Instead of a clinical setting, we have a living room vibe that is filled with art, warmth, and softness.”
Death Dancer’s work reaches the heart in the most human, open-minded way possible. Through work at The Edge, Death Dancer invites us to make a home for community, art, death, grief, and loss in our hearts, not only to make the hard times less intimidating, but to remind us of the beauty that surrounds us every day we are privileged to have breath in our lungs.
Rachel is a writer, arts advocate, performing arts enthusiast, and passionate about our beloved Thurston County. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in History and Political Science and a minor in Music. You can enjoy more of Rachel's writings by visiting her website. All inquiries for Rachel can be submitted here.
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