Alvin Ailey New York Dance Intensive

I am raising money for the Alvin Ailey Summer Dance Intensive in New York City.

My name is Abriana Claire. I am 17 years old and I love to dance.  

In fact, my whole life could be summarized into that one simple statement: I love to dance. Prior to dance, I did many other activities; softball, horseback riding, tennis, gymnastics, martial arts, volleyball, you name it. All those things were great, but I never really loved them. Don’t get me wrong; they were all fun hobbies, but I never felt like any of them were “me.” I didn’t officially start dancing until I was 8 years old. I say “officially” because ever since I can remember, I’ve twirled, leapt, and chasséd EVERYWHERE (even before I knew what a chassé was). Having that weird intuition all mothers possess, my mom took note of my actions and promptly encouraged me to start ballet lessons. Actually, “encouraged” isn’t the right word… “forced” is more accurate. Unlike other little girls my age, I had never once dreamed of becoming a ballerina. I thought ballet was stupid. But my persistent mother told me to give it a chance, so I did. Eight years and many hours of classes later, I’m glad I took her advice. My preferred style of dance has shifted, but my passion for moving to music remains the same.

Even with this newfound love of dance, I never expected to pursue it beyond high school. I mean, it was just another fun hobby that I’d eventually grow out of. But though originating as “just another hobby,” I began to realize dance was transforming into something much more. I think the reason I love dancing so much is because it requires the physical and spiritual to come together. When I dance, I am expressing my emotions, worshipping my Creator, and allowing others to get a glimpse of the “real me.”

To me, dance is a language that communicates an unspoken message, an outlet for human creativity and an art form that is able to transcend time and culture. Because of these reasons, I plan on pursing dance in college and hopefully on to the professional level.

Unfortunately, I live in a small town with limited dance opportunities. So, to help achieve my goals, I auditioned for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 2013 summer intensive in the fall of 2012. I auditioned purely to gain experience, but to my surprise was accepted! Because of my encouraging and hard working parents, we managed to raise enough money for me to attend. Needless to say, it was the most incredible and instructive 6 weeks of my life. I not only grew so much as a dancer, both physically and artistically, but was also reaffirmed that this was the career I wanted to pursue. I really want to attend the Alvin Ailey intensive again this summer, but in order to do so, I need to raise quite a bit of money. Last year, my parents paid for my whole intensive: tuition, plane ticket, lodging, food, everything. This year due to my dad’s change in jobs, I won’t be able to afford to attend. This is where I could use your support. If you have an appreciation for the arts and want to help a young artist achieve her dreams, I encourage you to donate. Every little bit helps. Thank you.