I’ve had the privilege of writing this column for a year now, which has me thinking about how great it is that dance plays such a vibrant role in our community. Reflecting on my year at this gig, I’m taking stock—which, in my world, means I’m making a list. Here is a look back (and ahead) on the folks and events that meaningfully contribute to our thriving local dance scene.

1. 9x22 Dance/Lab: Monthly Revue: These once-a-month gatherings at the Bryant-Lake Bowl Cabaret Theater are aptly named for the stage’s diminutive dimensions. Performers (local dancers and choreographers of every stripe) are encouraged to take risks, while audiences sit back and nosh and slosh. Lively artist/audience discussions are moderated by the event’s insightful curator, Laurie Van Wieren. Every fourth Wednesday of the month. 810 W. Lake St., Mpls.; 612.825.8949; bryantlakebowl.com

2. Ballet of the Dolls: Dance Theater Company: Choreographic visionary Myron Johnson’s dance-theater troupe offers seasonal performances at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis. The Dolls reinterpret the classics like nobody’s business (the female archrivals in its Swan Lake reenact a scene from What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?), expertly blending high art with irreverence. Look for Romette and Julio in June. 345 13th Ave. N.E., Mpls.; 612.623.7660; ritztheaterfoundation.org; balletofthedolls.org

3. Aneka McMullen: Hip-Hop Dance Artist: Watching this woman dance puts a smile on my face and a spring in my step. Her super-model cheekbones blur in the wake of her speedy precision.

4. Jeff Bartlett: Lighting Designer: Former artistic director of Minneapolis’s Southern Theater and mentor to many, this lighting guru fulfills theatrical fantasies dance-makers didn’t know they had. Bartlett puts the artist’s vision first then moves mountains to make it happen.

5. Kats Fukasawa: Butoh Artist: I have almost no point of reference for Butoh, a theatrical, Japanese dance style often performed in white body makeup, or for Fukasawa’s work in particular. I just know that when I witness his skillful, poignant and humorous solo performances—he’s a regular at Patrick’s Cabaret—I’m the luckiest gal in town.

6. Judith Howard: Dance Educator/Performer: When Judith Howard dances—alone as well as with her modern troupe the Flying Sisters—it’s as if no one is watching. What better concept to convey to her super-lucky students at Carleton College, where she’s an assistant professor of dance?

7. Justin Leaf: Ballet Dancer/Choreographer/Drag Artist: From balletic cavalier to Mistress Ginger (his drag alter-ego with the best gams around), Leaf’s artistic range is boundless. Formerly with James Sewell Ballet and currently with MN Dance Theatre, he can often be found curating GLBT mixed-bills at Patrick’s Cabaret or putting on homemade shows at Bryant-Lake Bowl’s Cabaret Theater.

8. Minnesota SAGE Dance Awards: Named after local dancer and philanthropist Sage Cowles, these awards recognize exceptional achievements in dance. Last fall’s rockin’ festivities at the Walker united the community and provided the best reason I can think of to gussy up. The awards feature performances by a variety of local groups, providing newcomers a chance to get to know the Twin Cities’ diverse and thriving dance scene. Look for the next event in the fall. sageawards.org

9. Becky Stanchfield: Ballet Educator: A true cross-section of dancers can be found in Stanchfield’s progressive and radical ballet classes at Zenon Dance School. Entrenched in the dance community for more than 30 years and on faculty at Macalester College, her methodology works with dancers’ singular body types, proving that ballet can be democratic.

10. Deborah Jinza Thayer: Movement Architecture’s Founder/Choreographer: Experiencing Jinza Thayer’s work is like peering inside the head of an artistic brainiac; it is mysterious, darkly funny and beautifully disquieting. Her unique unabashed experimentation and choreographic voice—brought to life by her theatrical dance outfit Movement Architecture—render me speechless. movementarchitecture.com

11. Tulle and Dye: Costume Design Duo: Lyle Jackson and Ellen Roeder’s fantastical, haute couture-inspired constructions play an integral part in the dances they costume. Look for their work in Grey Gardens—a musical about Jackie Onassis’s eccentric aunt—at the Ordway this month. 3/17-5/17; 345 Washington St., St. Paul; 651.224.4222; ordway.org; tulleanddye.com+

Penelope Freeh is a 15-year member of James Sewell Ballet and is the copmany's artistic associate. She would like to add that her colleagues at JSB are the greatest. Visit barefootpenny.blogspot.com to read more of her thoughts on dance.