Sugar Stomp’s first dance party, Rebeat, gives local fashion artists a chance to promote their upcycled clothing at Ransom. Each month, Sugar Stomp will showcase different artists in hopes of bringing the community together to dance.

Boone real estate agent Melody Pineda had the idea of hosting a family-friendly dance party, and after meeting Boone artist Jeff ‘Jefski’ Martin, the two created Sugar Stomp.

“(The idea) originated from juke joints down south where people would get together and dance all night,” Jefski said.

Juke joints were bars popular in the mid-20th century that provided a safe place for African American plantation workers and sharecroppers to socialize and dance during the era of Jim Crow laws and white-only establishments. This eventually led to the creation of the jukebox and present-day dance clubs.

In Boone, few spaces exist where the community can dance, and Pineda and Jefski wanted to bring the magic of dancing to the area. Jefski said he sees dancing as a spiritual experience and found his love for dance parties when he went to raves in Philadelphia.

“Through dancing, I learned about myself and also connected with other people through something that is outside of ourselves,” Jefski said.

Pineda and Jefski want to create an environment where everyone is welcome to dance freely and support different local artists each month. In April’s show, Rebeat will focus on clothing from five student fashion stylists: Len Sanqui, Cass Andrews, Ilyssa Pachao, Valentina Barber-Hurtado and Jasper Yoke. Each stylist is unique, but they still inspire each other, Sanqui said.

Sanqui, freshman commercial photography major, said she wanted to symbolize rebirth in her looks with Christian motifs like the Virgin Mary and a winged angel.

Andrews, sophomore commercial photography major, focused on natural colors and elements of spring.

“I want to make it look like moss is growing out of people’s bodies and faces, like they were asleep in the woods and now spring is here,” Andrews said.

Pachao, sophomore nursing major, created vintage and personalized looks for each model because she said fashion supplements personality. She also wants to emphasize sexuality and power structures by designing assless chaps and suits for women.

Jefski will showcase some of his accessories, but hopes to shine a light on emerging artists around Boone.

“My experience in Boone with my art is being supported 100%, so it is exciting to see these artists get a chance to feel what that is like,” Jefski said.

The 30-minute runway and a pop-up shop will display the stylists’ looks before the dance party begins.

Sugar Stomp is on April 13 at 8 p.m. The cover fee is $5, which will help fund Sugar Stomp’s next event on May 18.