IF YOU LET ME DANCE
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OUR PURPOSE
After 18 years as the founder and longtime leader of Arts Mentorship Program, I am excited to announce Move With Purpose, a NEW nonprofit that expands my passion and vision for the performing arts in Santa Barbara. I sat with a teen who we serve named Luz. She shared her journey from trauma to healing through dance. She recalled her father’s sudden illness, followed by the passing of her beloved ‘abuelo.’ On top of this, she was being bullied so much that she retreated into a ‘shell’. She found it difficult to smile and rarely spoke. She stopped going to school and, eventually, her family was so concerned that they got her into a treatment program. Even that did not help.
Her mom was desperate and came across an ad that highlighted how dance builds confidence, and signed her up for a class. Luz remembers her first performance; the way the music made her feel, and how the warm light on her face sparked joy and confidence. A gentle nudge from a mentor encouraged her to audition for a team. For the first time in years, she felt seen, valued and a growing sense of self-worth. Luz smiled and said, “Dance just felt different. I felt both safe and free at the same time.” She found her PURPOSE, however her family could not afford the expanded training, team fees, and summer training requirements to participate.
With the help from Move With Purpose, we unlocked this life-changing opportunity that is historically inaccessible to marginalized youth like Luz. She is not just a dancer, but an emerging leader at her studio and is thriving in school and at home. Luz and her family never dreamed this would be possible for her and now she is proud to be out of her ‘shell’. She said she feels like she BELONGS at dance.
The currency of a long and happy life has been studied and tied to health, movement, and purpose. With donors like you, and dancers like Luz, we can truly change lives!
PILLARS AND PROGRAMS
DANCE SCHOLARSHIPS
What sets us apart is the chance to have low-income members of marginalized communities receive life-changing opportunities to train at studios that become our Corporate Partners. By inviting studios to match our contributions, we are able to provide a level of training that will not only provide the mentorship and leadership skills to increase their success in life, but train up individuals to break the systemic barriers in the dance industry. We also use the SB Cost of Living to gauge the unique needs of our community.
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
Cultivating the next generation of passionate dance instructors and choreographers with training to turn passions into careers.
INCLUSIVE DANCE COMPANY - CATALYST
In collaboration with Gwendolyn Strong and Grace Fisher Foundations, we have built the first dance company to mesh high level art and mixed ability.
INCLUSION COALITION - OLD PROGRAM, NEW HOME!
A youth driven, mentor led group that takes action to build a more inclusive dance community and industry.