Naatsis’áán Community School students preparing for Las Vegas performance

By Krista Allen | Apr 24, 2025 | Education |

NAATSIS’ÁÁN-RAINBOW CITY, Utah

Students in Naatsis’áán Community School’s performing arts program are preparing for a big stage: a performance in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“We’ve been performing all year,” said Ella Eltsosie, the school’s Navajo language teacher and performing arts leader. “We’re getting ready to go to Vegas again, so we’ve really got to practice.”

The group has been invited to perform at the Native American Grant School Association Winter Conference in December. In the meantime, they’re staying active by performing at local events.
“It takes a lot of commitment,” Eltsosie said. “Students who want to perform in Las Vegas have to consistently show up and participate.”

Eltsosie, who is Áshįįhí and born for Lók’aa Dine’é, has led the school’s performing arts program for 12 years. She said the students’ enthusiasm is matched by their parents’ dedication, who regularly bring them to after-school practices.

“They really enjoy the dances, especially the new ones they’ve learned that (incorporate) sign language,” she said.

The performing arts team is made up of students in second through eighth grade. On April 22, they showcased their talent at the Navajo Mountain Community Health Center’s 25th Anniversary Celebration.

“Our students come from all around—including Paiute Canyon and nearby communities in Arizona and Utah,” Eltsosie said. “Some stay in the school dormitory, which makes it easier for them to attend practices.”

The program emphasizes both singing and dancing, and Eltsosie said the students were thrilled to be invited to perform again.

“We were excited all week, and all morning too,” she said.

Among the youngest in the group is 9-year-old Zander Begay, who says he enjoys performing in front of people. Fellow dancer Lynae Holiday, 8, added that performing is fun but sometimes nerve-wracking.

“I’m happy,” said Holiday, a second-year performer and former Miss Naatsis’áán Community School. She is Áshįįhí and born for Táchii’nii and already has big dreams for the future. She hopes to become a fifth-grade teacher after earning a college degree.