POST FALLS - The Jacklin Arts and Cultural Center has received a grant worth dancing about.

The Post Falls nonprofit has been awarded a $10,000 grant to bring in The Koresh Dance Company, a professional dance troupe based in Philadelphia, for a performance at the Kroc Center in Coeur d'Alene on April 20 at 7 p.m.

"There is little to no professional contemporary dance in the area, and we are very excited to be promoting a top company from the East Coast in the Inland Empire," said Liisa Spink, JACC executive director.

Koresh's choreography blends dance styles from a variety of backgrounds and genres including ballet, modern dance and jazz. The group tours nationally and was founded in 1991 by Ronen "Roni" Koresh.

The grant is a National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Fast-Track grant. Such funds offer support to small- or mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to populations whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.

"The NEA was founded on the principle that the arts belong to all the people of the United States," said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. "We're proud that Challenge America Fast-Track grants bring more opportunities for arts engagement to underserved communities."

The JACC is one of 153 nonprofits to receive such a grant.

"North Idaho almost never gets awarded a Challenge America grant," Spink said.

Spink said contemporary dance performances in North Idaho are a rarity.

The NEA received 393 fast-track grant applications in the latest round that requested $3.93 million in funds. The grants totaled $1.53 million awarded to organizations in 41 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Spink promoted and produced dance when she lived and worked in England.

"I love dance and am determined to bring high quality professional dance experiences for everybody in the Inland Empire," she said. "This is a first for us. We are breaking outside of our four walls to bring in a large company. This is just one program in many where we are igniting and enriching a passion for the arts for our local community."

Tickets for the dance performance will be $30 each and $20 for students. They can be purchased by calling 457-8950 or e-mailing art@thejacklincenter.org.