²ÝÁñÉçÇø

Stephanie Harper's favorite word seems to be "collaboration."

The 22-year-old Western Washington University senior plans a career as a dance instructor and recently founded a Bellingham studio she calls Harper&I.

Now she's preparing for her dance company's coming out party, so to speak -- three December performances of the holiday ballet "La Boutique Fantasque" in a collaboration with Bellingham's Northwest Ballet Academy.