Help Zuza Fund a Dance Programme

Hi!

My name is Zuza Tehanu and I am a dancer.
I recently passed the audition and was accepted on a contemporary dance course lead by Transform Dance Company. The only thing I need now are the funds for it. So I am asking You to help me raise the money for my dance course.

Photography:Emiliyah

Here is my story:
I always wanted to dance, but for many reasons I couldn't go to a dance school when I was very young . So I took my first class of African Dance when I was 19 and I fell in love with Contemporary Dance when I was 20. As all the dancers know – it is pretty late to start dancing. But it was my dream so I didn't give up but kept on training and was taking classes as much as I could afford back then in Poland.

Photography: Patrycja Orzechowska

Of course at the beginning I wasn't good at all, and I could only train twice a week but after few years of training I managed to dance in my first dance show with the University Dance group in Gdansk in Poland.

After coming to London I had that dream to continue dancing and learn more, despite the difficulties I had in a new country. I didn't have any support but I managed to find a job and start dance classes again.

After a few years of training like that I felt that I don't want to do classes again and again but I want to dance for real, so in 2010 I decided to start a dance theatre group and I made my first performance “Dark Soul”.

Photography: Jakub Kokczynski

For the next 4 years I created 17 dance theatre performances, choreographed for other artists and I was performing with my Dark Soul Dance Theatre group in London and around UK a lot, having loads of fun collaboration with more than 30 dancers and artists of other art fields. During that time I also managed to study dance in a college and I started leading my individual self-development through movement class that I called Ritual Dance .

Photography: Roger Jones

I was further on my dance pathway.

Photography: Pavlito vel Pablo

 But after last performance last year, there came a moment that it wasn't enough for me. I could only take my dance shows so far. I got stuck – I was missing something. I knew what it was – I didn't have a proper dance training. My practise came from classes and a college course. To get better and take my dance theatre group and dance dream further I needed a full time dance education.

Photography: Arkadiusz Zamoyta

Right now I am too old;) and/or not skilled enough to get into any great dance schools in London, not even mentioning the lack of funds.
But I found a good solution for me - an amazing contemporary dance course provided by Transform Dance Company , that is on my level, with great teachers, that work in a small group of students and give individual corrections to everyone, which gives me a chance to get to that next level of dancing, gather new skills and improve my dance technique a lot.
It will give my theatre group the chance to perform on more professional level and create more amazing shows.
Photography: Transform Dance Company

The course starts in September this year and I need    £2900 for it.

Now - it's not easy for me to ask for money, this is my first time, but without Your help I will not be able to fund the dance course myself.
So I believe that there are some good people who know that dance is a great thing, that anyone can dance despite their age and everyone can achieve that dream they have.
Please help me achieve my dance dream :)

Feel free to donate as much or as little you feel, I will be grateful for any support. Let's share the love for dance and the love for sharing :)

Thank you very much.

Photography: Emiliyah