“The Sacred in Motion” in the Center Gallery
A Choreographic & Photographic Collaboration featuring the Dancers of Olympic Ballet Theatre
EDMONDS, WA — The Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation is pleased to present The Sacred in Motion, an interdisciplinary exhibition that brings together choreographer Alberto Gaspar, photographer Kimberly Person, and the professional dancers of Olympic Ballet Theatre (OBT). On view January through March 2026, the exhibition offers an immersive gallery experience that celebrates the intersection of movement, emotion, and visual storytelling.
The Sacred in Motion features photographic selections from three of Gaspar’s original works created for OBT—Capriccio del Cuore, 1 in 10²,685,000, and Transfigurations—each reimagined through Person’s intuitive and intimate lens. Her photographs capture dance beyond the stage, preserving the fleeting yet powerful moments that often go unseen: a breath held between transitions, the vulnerability of a fall, and the tension and release that animate the dancers’ bodies. The result is a body of work that reveals both the physical rigor of dance and the emotional and inner worlds that drive it.
Gaspar, a Mexico City–born choreographer with more than two decades of international experience, is known for his emotionally driven, architecturally rich contemporary works. His long-standing collaboration with Olympic Ballet Theatre reflects a shared commitment to community-based artistry and spiritual inquiry through movement. Person’s sensitive photographic approach elevates these qualities into visual compositions that feel alive with motion, presence, and meaning.
Founded in 1981, Olympic Ballet Theatre is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most respected ballet institutions, nurturing dancers across a wide range of ages and stages while presenting a dynamic mix of classical and contemporary repertory. Their participation in The Sacred in Motion aligns with the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting artistic excellence, education, and innovative collaborations that connect artists and audiences in meaningful ways.
The exhibition will be presented in the Center Gallery, located in the Frances Anderson Center (700 Main Street, Edmonds). Open Monday–Friday from 9am–8pm and Saturday from 10am–2pm (closed Sundays), the Center Gallery is operated year-round by the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation. The gallery provides a vibrant venue for artists to share their work and for the community to experience, learn from, and be inspired by the arts.
A public reception will be held during Third Thursday Art Walk Edmonds on January 15th from 5–8pm in the Center Gallery. Guests are invited to meet the artists, engage with the creative process, and explore selected works from the exhibition.
About the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation
The Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to education and the cultural enrichment of the community through the arts. The Foundation awards more than $80,000 annually in scholarships and grants, and over the past 39 years has provided more than $1 million to support public art installations and major special projects. The annual Edmonds Arts Festival, held each June for more than 60 years and produced entirely by community volunteers, is the Foundation’s primary fundraiser and makes its year-round arts programs and initiatives possible.