Eight years ago, it took less than a week to create a community. Its residents were people from all walks of life, young and old; their leader, a historian, an artist and dancer named Chuck Davis.

Soon that community will be recreated as Arts of the Pamlico welcomes the Chuck Davis African-American Dance Ensemble for another one-week residency — a residency doesn’t only include rehearsals and workshops, culminating in a Turnage Theatre performance, but includes anyone who wants to participate. Onstage or behind the curtain, volunteers are being sought.

“We envision this to be a real community effort,” said Joey Toler, executive director of Arts of the Pamlico. “Dr. Davis has assured me there will be a role for anyone who walks through the doors to be part of this effort.”

Toler said people all ages and backgrounds are welcome to participate: dancers, musicians, poets, actors, as well as those interested costuming, set design and backstage assistance. The only requirement is that volunteers be willing to commit to rehearsals from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. each evening during the week, a Saturday afternoon dress rehearsal and a performance that night. He said the dedication of time is worth the results.

“I cannot overstate the impact that Chuck Davis has on anyone he meets — he is truly a force of nature. He and his company were last here in 2008, and it has been one the highlights of my career as executive director of the arts council,” Toler said.

Cathy Gaynor was one of those volunteers for the Davis’ previous appearance in Beaufort County, and it left a lasting impression.

“Chuck Davis is almost like a history lesson, because he tells about his experiences all around the world, of African dance and other dance that he’s done over the years,” Gaynor said. “You get dance. You get theater. You get history.”

Gaynor said she wasn’t planning on participating in the weeklong residency when she took her daughter Jamie, a dancer, to the introductory reception, but changed her mind after meeting Davis and his troupe. While she owned a sewing machine, she didn’t consider herself much of a seamstress, but along with a few others, she was tapped to make costumes for the performance.

“We would sit backstage and laugh and giggle and pull out stitches and redo stitches,” Gaynor laughed. “As the week got longer, we ended up staying longer because we were enjoying ourselves.

In addition to the residency, the troupe will be performing for students throughout the week in Beaufort, Hyde and Washington county schools. Davis has ties to the region: his father is from the Belhaven area. A Raleigh native, Davis has traveled extensively to Africa to study with leading artists. He founded DanceAfrica and the New York-based Chuck Davis Dance Company, in addition to the Chuck Davis African-American Dance Ensemble. He was most recently named one of “America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasures: The First 100” by the Dance Heritage Coalition, according to an AOP press release.

Toler calls the Davis residency a “once-in-a-lifetime experience,” but for Gaynor, the week of March 6–12 can be counted as twice in a lifetime for her.

“I’m really looking forward to doing it again,” Gaynor said.  “It was an overall great experience and such a sense of accomplishment. … It was like building a community, because you start from scratch. Literally, no costumes, no dances,” she said. “It’s almost like you’re building a family.”

Toler said those interested in taking part in the Chuck Davis residency should call the arts council at 252-946-2054. A “meet and greet,” in which Davis will give an overview of the week’s activities and a project outline, will be held at the Turnage Theatre on March 6 at 3 p.m.