CHAPTER 15The Magic of Music
Belle Mickelson, Dancing with the SpiritCourtesy of Encore.org / Talking Eyes Media.
Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way,
If we’ll keep on the sunny side of life
When I hear these lines from the song “Keep on the Sunny Side,” I can’t help but picture another one of the Purpose Prize winners, Belle Mickelson, now 71, a science teacher turned Episcopal priest, who lives in Cordova, Alaska.
Mickelson is keen on the fiddle and education. And it’s that mighty mixture that encouraged her to start a nonprofit in 2006, Dancing with the Spirit (dancingwiththespirit.org), based in Fairbanks. The organization aims to connect children and elders through music.
Her staff is primarily Alaska Native, but includes her 35-year-old son, Mike, a talented bluegrass musician. “This program has been such a blessing for my family,” Belle says. “Often you start out thinking you’re going to help others – but they give you so much more than you could have ever dreamed! We have met so many wonderful people in the villages whose stories have changed our lives for the better.”
Mickelson’s roving music program currently teaches youth living in 53 remote villages across Alaska – songs from bluegrass to country, folk and rock ’n’ roll. They range from “Eagle Island Blues,” ...
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