Typically, on the weekends, the Icehouse Amphitheater is the place to go for live rock, soul or country bands. The stage is usually set up with drums and amps for rockers or honky-tonkers or funk fiends.

But this Friday, April 19, there will be something a little different on the Icehouse stage. The Nova Ballet Theatre, The Christian Dance Theater, East Point Academy, Tiny Coven, Unbound and more are teaming up for an evening of dance and art called the Starlight Gala, and it’s all for a worthy cause.

The Starlight Gala itself is actually free to attend, but donations are encouraged, as this event is a benefit for Lighthouse For Life, a faith-based non-profit organization that combats human trafficking and provides services for human trafficking victims.

For the Nova Ballet Theatre’s artistic director and Starlight Gala co-organizer Gabrielle Celeste, Lighthouse For Life is a vital organization that she’s happy to help fund.

“I was really glad to find out that we had a local organization here that was helping to combat trafficking,” Celeste said. “They go to churches, communities, schools, police stations, fire stations and hospitals giving speeches on trafficking and how to be aware of it and look for it. And they also set up housing for women who have been able to come out of it and protect them and help them regain their lives by setting up jobs and educational opportunities.”

The evening will showcase the art of dance in its many forms. There will be visual artists, food trucks and other vendors on hand at the Starlight Gala, but the focus will be on stage as these different dance companies perform.

“We really try to make sure that we have a huge mix of genres,” said Nicole Hamm, who co-organized the Gala alongside Celeste and serves as the event director. “So, we have Irish dancers, we have the belly dancers, we have ballet, we have contemporary hip-hop, and we’ve got Chinese dancing as well. So, everyone can have a little taste of something that they probably haven’t been exposed to, and It's a great opportunity for people to get an overview of the variety of dance.”

“We definitely strive with our performances to make a personal connection with our audience through our storytelling,” Celeste said. “And I think that the companies that we have invited are in line with that and are able to tell beautiful stories through their dancing.”

Hamm said that at the end of the evening, she’d like people to walk away with a new perspective, not just on dance, but on the place they call home.

“We want people to walk away understanding that there are still good humans in this world,” she said. “And that there are beautiful, talented people who are doing great work. When we come together as a big community, we can make a huge difference in people's lives.”