

...5,6,7,8...
Knoxville's Unique Dancing Dames
WE ARE RAISING FUNDS BY 08/01/2025 TO HELP US MOVE
We have been since January 2024 in our little studio of around 350 square feet but we have outgrown the space for our rehearsals at this time, and this limits our abilities to also provide low cost community dance and performing arts classes as a means to meet our goals and missions of keeping women of all ages, all sizes, all levels of ability, and all walks of life dancing through every age and stage of life.
We have located a space that doubles our current space, and allows us as an organization to have rehearsals where everyone can fit on the dancefloor, is able to manage our props and costumes closet and all other large items (chairs especially), without impacting the space further. This is a reasonable and responsible upgrade at this time and allows us to maintain our small studio that started it all with current budgets in place.
We simply need help raising our funds for move in by 08/01/2025 which we know is a big ask; but it would provide our initial security deposit as we are able to manage the rent as of 08/01/2025, plus pay for 6 more mirrors and installation in this new space. It would help us continue to grow, develop and continue to become stronger as a performance arts organization and as everyone tells us, we keep leveling up each show with the education, polishing and encouragement we provide to our member-performers. That means a lot. 2024 was our rebuilding year and 2025 is our strengthening year.
We officially became a non-profit arts organization after careful review with our accounting team and our member-performers. It was the clear direction to head in a dream that began back in 2012. We were granted our non-profit status in 1/1/2025, and soon after 1/20/2025, federal and local arts grants were severely gutted. We had worked so hard to get just a little bit of support for the first time, and submitted carefully written proposals. It was a gut-punch in a year that has felt like a gut-punch time and time again.
Throughout this time though we have banded together, worked very hard and focused on our goals of providing a little levity in a time of turmoil, and boldly putting our mission and vision right in front of the audiences of East Tennessee. The audiences showed up and we are beyond grateful to continue to strengthen and impress you as we work to entertain you.
If you can help and also share this campaign, as the heat is on towards our deadline, we are extremely happy to provide you with a receipt for your donation due to our 501c3 status as an arts organization here in East Tennessee, where we're proud to be!
WHO WE ARE
Founded in 2012 and Rebuilt in 2024, The Follies Girls (Knoxville's Unique Dancing Dames),
are a dance-based, non-profit 501(c)3, performing arts organization dedicated to variety entertainment, education and empowering women in all stages of life.
See a show, take a workshop, let's connect!
THE FOLLIES GIRLS BOUTIQUE
Get yourself a little something.
OUR CREW
Alex is Awesome - Documentarian & Behind the Scenes Footage
Anna Maria Terlinden Rogers - Executive and Creative Director, Choreographer
Carmilla Obscura - Art Director, Props and Set Design
Cash and Co. Photography - Promotional & Studio Photography
Hooray for Hannah - Lighting Director
Johnny on the Spot - Technical Director and Visual Presentation
Kitty L'Orange - Merchandising
Laura for the Win - Administrative Assistant
Marion McDees - Stage Manager
StarrLight Images - Live Photography and Videography
In what ways are monitary contributions applied?
Your donations and support is vital to assuring our work keeps elevating the lives of our community.
Your generous financial contributions are directed towards compensating our committed instructors, choreographers, and performers for their invaluable efforts. We strive to create meaningful job and performance opportunities for dancers, musicians, visual artists, and others in our vibrant local and regional community.
OUR NEWSLETTER/BLOG
All the things...subscribe to be the first to know!
April 18, 2025 · knoxville,east tennesee,dance,about us,performing artsJuly 4, 2025 · fact or fiction,life,art,storytelling,growthJune 27, 2025 · fact or fiction,facts,learning,self aware,self analysisTHE FOLLIES GIRLS MISSION
The Follies Girls is a 501c3 non-profit, dance-based performance and variety arts organization dedicated to inspiring and empowering women of all ages, body types, and walks of life to explore performing arts as an option for personal growth, ongoing development, advocacy, and modeling for younger generations to confront stereotypes of women.
We believe in helping and educating women to find their place in the performing and variety arts no matter when they begin their journey and believe that all women should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams of performing or being involved within these artistic outlets.
We believe that beauty, personal growth and ability is not defined by age or a particular body type, and that all women with a heart, mind and dedication to develop within the performing arts should have the opportunity to explore the various pathways to performance or behind the scenes endeavors for productions.
We pursue these missions, values and beliefs within the model of variety entertainment bringing the historical artforms of dance, song, vaudeville and other entertainment to the public as we work to assure ongoing preservation and evolution of these formats into a modern sensibility.
MUSIC MONDAYS
TRACK LIST
A weekly curated playlist by a few of The Follies Girls.
- Summertime - The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff (Submitted by Charm Chartreuse)
- Miles from Our Home - Cowboy Junkies (Submitted by Nipsy Tussle)
- Hot Sugar - Glass Animals (Submitted by O. Contraire)
- Steal My Sunshine - LEN (Submitted by Charm Chartreuse)
- Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles (Submitted by Nipsy Tussle)
- Fly - Sugar Ray (Submitted by Charm Chartreuse)
- Electric Blue - Icehouse (Submitted by Nipsy Tussle)
- Not Tonight - Lil' Kim (Submitted by Charm Chartreuse)
- Cruel Summer - Bananarama (Submitted by Nipsy Tussle)
- Girlfriend featuring Nelly - NSYNC (Submitted by Charm Chartreuse)
- Linger - Jonatha Brooke (Submitted by Nipsy Tussle)
- Cruel Summer - Taylor Swift (Submitted by Lilou Nyx)
- Red Red Sun - INXS (Submitted by Nipsy Tussle)
- Love Nwantiti - CKay (Submitted by O. Contraire)
- Back that Azz Up - Juvenile (Submitted by Charm Chartreuse)
- Pleasant Valley Sunday - The Monkees (Submitted by Nipsy Tussle)
- Fly Away - Lenny Kravitz (Submitted by Charm Chartreuse)
- The Tide is High - Blondie (Submitted by Nipsy Tussle)
- Preach - Saint Motel (Submitted by O. Contraire)
- Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles (Submitted by Nipsy Tussle)
- Fourth of July - Mariah Carey (Submitted by Charm Chartreuse)
We are proud members of the following organizations:
All photography of The Follies Girls courtesy of StarrLight Images and/or Cash and Co. Photography.
© 2012 - 2025 The Follies Girls and www.thefolliesgirls.org.