A community celebration of movement will once again take over Union Chapel this month, as Built on Stilts Dance Festival commences next weekend.

The free annual festival takes place this summer from August 8 to 10 and August 17 to 19.

Built on Stilts began 28 years ago. The first year it included seven choreographers and performers for a one night only performance. The event has since grown exponentially, with approximately 40 performances taking place over six nights this year.

According to Abby Bender, co-founder of the festival, the goal of the event is to showcase that movement is for everyone, no matter the experience level. Anyone can participate and audiences are encouraged to do so.

“We want it to be accessible not only for performers but for audiences,” Ms. Bender said. “Anyone can come and anyone can do it.”

Throughout the years, traditional styles such as ballet, hip-hop and modern dance have been showcased along with forms of art beyond dance, including circus arts, martial arts and spoken word.

Music is a big part of the festivities, including a percussion introduction for every show.

“One of the things that makes it so sort of unique is we open with this drum circle,” Ms. Bender said. “That has been happening since we started. That gets people so energized.”

The name Built on Stilts comes from Ms. Bender and co-founder Anna Luckey’s time at Bard College, where she joked that the beds in their dorm room were “someone’s senior project. The dorm was built on stilts above a ravine. “There’s something about that metaphor for something that’s a little bit [shaky],” she said. “We didn’t really know what we were doing. We’re experimenting. We’re taking risks.” Ms. Bender is grateful that the festival occurs during the height of summer.

“We need [this festival] this time of year,” she said. “We need to have faith in each other, in the strength of our community, because it’s so hectic and crazy [in August]. It feels so good to like plug into our hearts and our bodies and each other.”

Visit builtonstilts.org.

— Katrina Liu