_{Top photo: Gideon Tice, dancing here with Haley Wade, says participating in the arts has been an important outlet for him since losing both his parents to cancer. Courtesy photo.} 

By Emily Miller

REXBURG — For 18-year-old Gideon Tice of Rexburg, dance is more than just a hobby — it’s a lifeline. After losing both of his parents to cancer within less than a year of each other, Tice finds community and purpose by participating in dance, music, and theater. He has danced with Idaho Ballroom Academy since 4th grade, and landed a spot on the American Footworks folk dance touring team this year. He’s also a member of Madison High School’s Bel Cantos choir and the school’s extracurricular a cappella group, Vocal Spectrum, where his deep bass voice sets the foundation for the group’s tight harmonies. 

Participating in the arts has helped Tice weather the challenges of the last few years, and to find hope, healing, and support. He now has the opportunity to travel to Europe with his folk dance team — if he can pay the fees for the trip. 

Tice’s father, Nathaniel, passed away in December 2022, and his mother, Andrea, followed in September 2023. East Idaho News surprised Andrea and the kids with gifts from Secret Santa in December, 2022, not knowing Nathaniel had passed away just one day earlier.

These losses have left Tice navigating life mostly independently as a high school senior. As one of six children, and the oldest still at home at the time of his parents’ deaths, Tice had to grow up quickly. He now lives on his own while his younger siblings live with their aunt and uncle. 

“Essentially, it forced me to mature and grow up,” Tice says. “When I do the arts, it’s kind of a way for me to fall back. It helps me relax a bit. It distracts me from all the things I have to do.”

This summer, Tice has the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to travel with American Footworks to Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, England, and Scotland, where the team will perform in several international folk dance festivals.

His teacher, American Footworks co-founder Mindy Larsen, says Tice has all the talent and desire, but he could use some financial help to make it happen. And he’s not alone. Larsen says there are several dancers on this year’s touring team who could use help paying the $3,500 needed for the trip. 

“We have to lose excellent dancers every year who otherwise would be incredible assets for the team but who can’t afford it,” she says. “For a month in Europe it’s a screaming deal, but it’s still a lot of money.”

Donations are also needed to update the team’s costumes, Larsen says. Their main red and white team costumes were purchased secondhand from the BYU Folk Dance team many years ago and are showing their age. 

“They have held up beautifully, but they are now 30 years old so the zippers are starting to pop and fabric fray,” Larsen says. “So we have ordered new ones to be professionally made, with these as our guide, because they work so well for our show. The total cost for the new set will be between $3,000-$4,000.”

Larsen says this year’s tour, from July 22 to August 18, will be an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the team members. 

“We will get to climb the dome in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and swim in the Black Sea in Nessebar, Bulgaria, and dance in a huge parade in Slovakia,” she says.  “We’ll collaborate with Irish and English percussive dance artists in Billingham, England, to put together a special performance of all three styles, culminating in a finale with all the dancers dancing each others’ steps. It’s going to be a unique experience and absolute core memory for our lucky dancers.”

Larsen says the yearly tour is also an opportunity for her young team members to learn valuable life skills. 

“They get confidence that they can do hard things,” she says. “The schedule is grueling and we dance wherever and whenever the festivals ask us to dance, whether it’s on spectacular stages with two-story speakers or on cobblestones in front of a local church.” 

She says the touring team also helps dispel negative opinions about Americans in the countries where they travel. 

“This team makes a real difference in the world,” Larsen says. “We come up against a lot of stereotypes and prejudice on tour and we do our best to show what good people most Americans are. We protect and share our intangible cultural heritage and learn to love and appreciate others’ art and culture. This creates understanding, respect, friendship and connection. The world needs all of those things.”

As for Tice, Larsen says she recognized in him all the talents and personal qualities she was looking for when building this year’s team. 

“Every year we go on this amazing adventure and try to pull the kindest and most talented kids to come with us, recruiting from local dance studios, community programs, and BYUI,” she says. “I worked with Gideon when he played the Tsar for Madison High School’s musical ‘Anastasia’ last year, and I was able to see his talent, commitment and leadership qualities first hand. He worked so hard and was so willing, passionate and dependable and I knew he’d be a good fit for our team. His ballroom training helped a lot, and he’s started working on his clogging because that’s a big part of what we do. Then I heard about how his parents both died of cancer and it broke my heart. I realized that he is on his own in so many ways. It’s hard to come up with the $3500 tour fees for all our students, and to do it without family support is even harder.”

Tice says he appreciates all the love and support from the community and his mentors over the last few years as he has worked through the loss of both his parents. 

“All throughout those events, I had support through all my people in the arts,” he says. “My choir director, my dance instructors and others — their support has helped keep my passion for the arts alive. I’ve been so helped by that.”

Tice says he’s not a naturally expressive person, so being able to have an outlet in the arts has been invaluable. 

“I love teamwork, and like partnering,” he says. “I enjoy working with other people and I enjoy how expressive it can be.”

Tice says he doesn’t expect to travel a lot in his life, so this opportunity is something he hopes not to miss. 

“I have never traveled outside the country, so that, in and of itself, is a new experience that I’m looking forward to, with many people that I don’t know,” he says. “I’m not a terribly extroverted person, so this trip is going to be nothing but surprises for me.”

Tice says he gets a lot of satisfaction out of being part of teams and productions that bring joy to other people. It’s his way of giving back to the community that has supported him and his family. He wanted to express his sincere gratitude to those who have helped them.

“Even after both my parents’ passing, I’m still quite lucky,” he says. “We had grandparents come in and help, and my aunt and her family come in. They’ve all been so supportive … I’ve had people anonymously pay for fees for my school. I’ve had people pay for lots of different things for my family and myself.”

Those interested in helping Tice and other team members pay for the trip can donate via GoFundMe. For information on how to make a tax-deductible donation, interested donors can contact Larsen directly at idahofootworks@yahoo.com. Larsen says the team is also open to official sponsorships, and that the team is happy to perform for local organizations for free. They’ll perform as the kick-off event for the City of Rexburg’s Arts in the Park series this summer. See them at the Beehive Pavilion at Porter Park on Monday, July 14. Time TBA.