Oct. 1 photo book ‘Dance for Vegas’ to help fund Healing Garden

Izzy Howard, right, Kennedy Kahler, Savannah Kristich and Sabine Nehls leap into the air during a photo shoot with photographer Jerry Metellus on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, at Metellus' studio, in Las Vegas. Metellus plans to create a book from the photos he took and donate the proceeds to the Las Vegas Victims Fund. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

Savannah Kristich, left, leaps in the air during a photo shoot with photographer Jerry Metellus, middle, on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, at Metellus' studio, in Las Vegas. Metellus plans to create a book from the photos he took, and donate the proceeds to the Las Vegas Victims Fund. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

Photographer Jerry Metellus shares a laugh with dancers during a photo shoot for a book he plans to create, with the proceeds going to the Las Vegas Victims Fund on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, at Metellus' studio, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

Photographer Jerry Metellus, right, works with dancers Savannah Kristich, middle, and Easton Magliarditi during a photo shoot on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, at Metellus' studio, in Las Vegas. Metellus plans to create a book from the photos he took, and donate the proceeds to the Las Vegas Victims Fund. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

Photographer Jerry Metellus gets a big hug during a photo shoot for a book he plans to create, with the proceeds going to the Las Vegas Victims Fund on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, at Metellus' studio, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

Dancers Savannah Kristich, left, Easton Magliarditi and Sabine Nehls leap into the air during a photo shoot with photographer Jerry Metellus on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, at Metellus' studio, in Las Vegas. Metellus plans to create a book from the photos he took, and donate the proceeds to the Las Vegas Victims Fund. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

In an effort to commemorate the lives lost during the Oct. 1 mass shooting, local celebrity photographer and former dancer Jerry Metellus is creating a keepsake that uses the the art of dance to capture the flood of emotions from that night.

“Dance for Vegas,” Metellus says, is his way to give a piece of himself to his community. The book will be filled with photos of renowned dancers, both local and national, who all joined for the purpose of remembering that night when 58 people were killed and hundreds more injured. All featured dancers have some connection to the city.

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“I’m not a millionaire,” Metellus said. “I can’t give out my wallet but I can give out my heart. My heart is my art so that’s my currency. The response and support for the book has been beautiful.”

Featured dancers included Maksim Chmerkovskiy of Dancing with the Stars and students from the Rock Center of Dance who appeared on World of Dance. Metellus said that he worked with the dancers to convey feelings of pain and joy.

“That’s pretty much what happens in a time like that,” Metellus said. “You’re screaming with joy one minute and pain the next. It’s really about celebrating life. I had them wear clothes as if they were going to an event so they were more relatable to everyday people.”

An official release date has not yet been set but Metellus says it will be out in time for the holidays at a price to be determined. He says to check facebook.com/DanceForVegas for updates. All proceeds from the book will go to the Healing Garden and its Remembrance Wall.

Contact Mia Sims at msims@reviewjournal.com. Follow @miasims___ on Twitter.