A group of kids lined up at one end of the Rock River Fitness studio as music started pumping from the speakers. They smiled and fidgeted until they reached the front of the line.
Then their faces grew intense.
Each model strutted across the studio floor like it was a catwalk, hands on hips or holding a prop. They were met with cheers and encouragement from parents when they paused to strike a pose or two.
Shay Tate Moore watched the practice closely. As the kids’ coach and designer of the outfits they’ll show off this weekend, she wanted to make sure each model was doing their best and feeling confident.
The 2021 Dare 2B Me fashion show starts at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the University Club, 1526 5th Ave., Moline. Tickets are $15 for general admission, and $20 for the front row.
“I’m excited, but a little nervous,” TaLiyah Toney-Slater, 10, said about the show.
Moore, the owner of Moore Divahs, designed 14 pieces for the show, with back-to-school and sports themes. Some come with matching masks, she said.
“We are walking canvases, so why not have a mask to match?” Moore said.
Four other designers will also bring models to show off their outfits, two from the Quad-Cities area and two from St. Louis.
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