Thirty-one years. Seventy-five competitions. One hundred fifty costumes. With their combined decades of experience, seniors Alea Sears and Jaime Holkovic are no strangers to dance, as dozens of costumes just sitting in their closets would prove. Rather than have them collect dust, Alea and Jaime decided to let other people get use out of them.

Thus, Dance Reruns was formed, creating a nonprofit organization that collects dance costumes and shoes that are then donated to anyone who needs them.

“Our goal is to minimize the economic burden of buying expensive costumes for a child to dance in, especially if dancing is their passion,” explained Alea.

Dance Reruns recently became an official nonprofit organization registered with the state of Ohio. This was pursued to add some legitimacy and professionalism to the project.

“We started this project in hopes to be able to spread our love of dancing to others in need in Northeast Ohio,”  Jaime said.

Alea and Jaime run this organization out of their homes, keeping all of the costumes in closets. They always aim to go pick up costumes to make the process more convenient for donors, and that way they also get to interact with other dance enthusiasts.

The dance duo has “well over one hundred costumes, ranging from toddler size to adult,” Alea stated. Their costumes cover a spectrum of styles, from fluffy and sparkly to sleek and plain.

With college around the corner, Alea hopes to take Dance Reruns with her, expanding the organization while finding new ways to donate. As for Dance Reruns remaining in Northeast Ohio, Alea and Jaime hope that a family member will take over.

With so many costumes available, Alea and Jaime are looking for more people to take the costumes. “Our biggest roadblock right now is trying to find recipients,” explained Alea. “It can be one person or a group, and people can have as many costumes as they need. We just want to help anyone who’s going to use the costumes and appreciate their past.”

Thanks to Alea and Jaime, dancers in Northeast Ohio never have to worry about the financial burden of the expensive costumes that the art requires. Rather, they can focus on their passion and doing what they love.