BY Isaiah Frizzell
The Sun Valley Culinary Institute is fusing a love in the Valley we’ve rarely seen before. With the cross-pollination of ballroom dancing, food and entertainment, the “Sun Valley Ballroom” is the event of the year. As we slowly edge out of the summer heat and enter the glorious seasonal and color changes to the tune of autumn, the bright lights still shine for energizing, extravagant moments of pleasure. SVCI has put together a world-class dinner along with a night of exquisite dancing at the Argyros Performing Arts Center with some of the world’s most accomplished dancers.
Now in its Fifth Year
The nonprofit Sun Valley Culinary Institute (SVCI) needs no introduction as it has been shaping the Valley’s sensual intelligence and regional economic development since 2020, with absolute critical and local savoir faire.
This current showcase was created from the passion and dedication of three key people: Mindy Meads (producer, board member SVCI), Vasily Golovin (creative director from St. Petersberg, Russia) and Karl Uri (executive director, SVCI).
Raise a glass to Meads
A founding board member of the SVCI, Mindy Meads has long wanted to bring this concept to the Valley. “This has been a wonderful passion project for her for a long time, along with her passion for dance. So I think it’s just wonderful to see her combining these two things and benefiting the students at the school,” Karl Uri, a founding member of the SVCI, said.
Be There
September 26, from 7 to 9:30 p.m., features ballroom royalty!
Karina Smirnoff, 13th season winner of “Dancing with the Stars,” will debut with Dmitry Timokhin (eight-time national Russian champion) to grace your senses. There will be a series of overwhelming physical grace, in motion, for you to consider as we all know ballroom dancing is more than a spectacle or hobby. This motion and movement of the physique produces serotonin, dopamine, and all the neurotransmitters that facilitate happiness, joy and the ability to enjoy!
Tatiana and Yegor Novikov will dance alongside Lynn Shanahan and Darius Mostieka with the crown jewel performance beaming from Arina Grishanina and Alexander Chernositov (the world’s top ballroom dancing duo fresh from their win at the 2025 Blackpool Latin Championship, perhaps the pinnacle of competitive dance). Meads continues, “There will be a four-course dinner pairing with wines, and then, afterwards, we’ll be going across the street to join other guests to come for the show with around 20 dancers.”
Thought and Time
“Well, when we started talking about this, Vasily and I had this wild idea that we needed to do something special with the institute, that I love, and so we started thinking about it, and since Vasily has so many of these incredible dancers that he knows, he called Karina, while we were in the studio, and she loved the idea! It was beautiful. She said yes, and then she is bringing her partner from Russia, who is a known champion in Russia, and this will be the first time they’ll be performing in the U.S.!”
“Unbelievable young dancers, who are winning the highest-level competitions all over the world, will be dancing at the debut of Sun Valley Ballroom,” said Golovin. “This is an incredible opportunity to see the world’s best rhythm dancers in Idaho.”
Summertime Rolls
A night to remember and, as Meads reminds, “It can maybe be kind of an older thing, but I think it’s sort of a classic thing that never goes away. It’s evergreen, it never goes away. Ballroom dancing has many benefits for later in life. I’m retired now, and not only is it great exercise, but it keeps the mind sharp. You really have to keep your mind alert to do every one of these steps! And, lastly, it’s just simply having fun. You can do it at almost any later stage in life.” Meads is enthusiastic about dancing, for good reason.
Common sense and science show that moving the body is the key to life!
After the event all attendees will have the opportunity to dance!
Tickets can still be had for the performance at: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35937/production/1246539?performanceId=11670673
