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COVID-19 and the Love of Dance Challenge…

June 18, 2020 by 4dancers

I so glad to be able to let you know about a just-launched charity effort to benefit the dance community, specifically dance studios – The Love of Dance Challenge.  As we all know, the COVID-19 crisis has devastated the dance community, especially studios — which are the foundation of our training, and create a springboard for the art. Like so many in our community, studio owners are facing financial challenges, and many are facing the reality of potentially closing their  doors for good.

The Love of Dance Challenge is the brainchild of Kaycee Cope Jones and Bri Zborowski, co-founders and co-owners of Apolla Performance Footwear. Here’s how it works:
-Donations are being given by industry leaders — each donor then will “challenge” three more friends / colleagues to also donate, all for the love of dance. (Think of the Water Bucket Challenge for just dance!)
-Anyone can enter to win experiences that they may never have again – with just a starting donation of $10, you can choose which prize(s) you will be entered to win. You can also donate cash, if you don’t want to enter to win anything. All donations / proceeds go towards helping dance studios survive this crisis, and allow the dance world to come together for the Love of Dance Challenge.
-Dance studios from all over the world can apply to be considered for a monetary gift raised by this effort. All applicants will be vetted thoroughly and are required to complete the StEPS 2020 Initiative (see below).  A lottery then selects the qualified applicants who will receive the financial gift.

ALL monies raised goes completely to dance studios, to help them survive and keep going.

The StEPS 2020 Initiative is a major part of this Challenge:
It stands for Studios for Equity, Prevention, and Science. StEPS is a brief online course that involves education for studio owners in:
1) Racism in Dance

2) Sexual Abuse Awareness, Prevention, and Response

3) Bringing Dance Science to the Studio4) Gender, Inclusion and Integration in Dance
Further information can be found here.

I hope everyone gets involved with this wonderful effort, and passes it on to as many dance colleagues as you can. I am so proud to be involved in it (as part of #3 above — Bringing Dance Science to the Studio) –and we can all be proud of becoming part of this industry-wide effort to help our hurting dance world.

Thank you –with Love– Jan Dunn, Editor, Dance Wellness

Filed Under: 4dancers, 4teachers Tagged With: Apolla Performance Footwear, Bri Zborowski, covid-19, dance, dance charity

Giving Back: Donating Dance Shoes

December 8, 2016 by Rachel Hellwig

by Rachel Hellwig

Footloose, founded in 2010 by Becca Duberman, is an organization that collects new and gently-used dance shoes for aspiring dancers from lower-income backgrounds. Duberman, 19, is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has danced for over 15 years. Learn more about her mission in our interview with her…

Image courtesy of Becca Duberman.

What inspired Footloose?

Year after year, I went through the ritual of sorting my old shoes as I prepared for new classes. I found myself thinking, “These shoes hold great sentimental value to me, but why are they just sitting in my closet collecting dust? Wouldn’t they be put to better use by other children wanting to experience dance and the outlet for expression that it offers?” Footloose was my way of giving back. It was born from the realization that my passion for dance as a method of communication may impact others as it has for me.

What is the average age range of the students who receive shoes via Footloose?

On average, Footloose will donate to dancers from ages 8-15. However, Footloose has donated to a variety of dancers ranging in ages from 3-25. There are many aspiring dancers in the world that cannot afford proper footwear and Footloose has done a great job in filling this void.

Image courtesy of Becca Duberman.

How and where do you organize shoe collections?

When I receive shoe donations, I store them in my home and separate those by type, such as ballet, tap etc. I often receive large shipments of shoes so keeping an accurate inventory is important. I receive many corporate donations but the vast majority of collections occur from private dance studios. Recently, I have had many dance students reach out to me to start a local drive at their studios and schools for Footloose. In this case, I will either connect them directly with a possible location for donation or I will have them send me the shoes to ship out.

What types of dance shoes do you collect?

Footloose welcomes donations of all types of dance shoes and sizes since we do not target a specific age range or dance style.

Image courtesy of Becca Duberman.

What organizations do you donate dance shoes to and how are they distributed?

Footloose donates to various types of organizations and studios across the world. We have donated to organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Newark, Soles4Souls, YMCA Sioux, as well as dance studios such as Life Skills Preschool, Bayshore Dance Academy, Hope Rural School, and Gambia Dance Factory. Footloose provides dance shoes to locations throughout the U.S., as well as to other continents such as Africa. The shoes are either shipped out directly from my house or one of Footloose’s ambassadors will ship the shoes they have collected from their locations.

What are your future goals for Footloose?

I am proud to say that Footloose has made a positive impact in lives of aspiring dancers for about 6 years now. I hope that Footloose will continue to inspire other dancers, like myself, to get involved and give back to the dance community, and to help those less fortunate acquire the proper footwear to dance.

How can people get involved with Footloose?

Please visit my website. I welcome anyone to contact me directly by email with any questions about Footloose, either to get involved or for acquiring donations.

Becca Duberman. Image courtesy of Becca Duberman.

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Filed Under: 4dancers Tagged With: #DanceIsForEveryone, #GivingBack, ballet shoes, Becca Duberman, dance charity, dance shoes, Footloose, University of Wisconsin-Madison

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