Alek's Summer (and Beyond) of Dance
Donation protected
UPDATE:
Alek has reached his FIRST goal of $5000!!
We are now moving towards his THIRD goal of $12,500.
This ensures that his summer dance plans can be completed: MidStates Dance Festival, Summer Intensive with the Houston Ballet, and three Master Classes in Indianapolis. He has paid tuition and fees. He has arranged travel, lodging, and meals. He has ordered the clothes and shoes that he needs for the summer "“ both classes and performances. He has seen the Russia Ballet perform Cinderella.
Our fundraising efforts do not end here.
His SECOND goal of $6800 allows Eric and Sheila to travel to Houston, TX to observe his classes, interact with his instructors, and see his final gala performances. He will have opportunity to see other professional performances and attend even more Master Classes through the Indianapolis City Ballet.
A FINAL goal of $12500 would secure next summer as well and will allow for the two planned trips to Chicago with his home studio. For summer 2014, he may return to Houston or he may focus his energies on Pittsburgh, Chicago, or New York.
We are looking at other opportunities for him and your continued support can keep him in extra studies throughout the coming year, will allow him to see professional touring ballet productions, and better plan for his future.
Thank you so much for your support.
~sheila
- - -
Hi. My name is Aleksandr Schroeder. I'm 15 years old and I'm a dancer.
I started studying ballet when I was 3 and since then I've added tap, jazz, modern, and musical theater skills. I want to pursue a career in dance after I graduate high school and college and know that any extra experience I get now will help my development tremendously.
In 2011, I was accepted to the AYBT Company. AYBT has gained attention as an Honors Company for Mid-States Regional Dance America. In my two years performing with this company I have attended one regional (Pittsburgh, PA) and one international (Montreal, Canada) dance festival. The dance department at Anderson University most recently has invited me to perform with them as part of their spring gala. While focusing on my study with AYBT I have been blessed to showcase my growing skills in the roles of Nutcracker Prince, Russian, Reed Flutes, Harlequin, and Mouse King in recent productions of The Nutcracker. In other AYBT performances, I have danced variations from Copellia (Franz), Don Quixote (Basil), and Sleeping Beauty (Bluebird).
When I am not performing, I spend much of my week in classes. My love for dance doesn't even end with performing and learning. I also assist with ballet class instruction for our studio's 6-7 year old dancers. I have done community outreach performing excerpts from current productions at area nursing homes and have completed school visits to teach elementary students about dance. In addition to this, I am finishing my freshman year at Anderson High School and ranked first in my class with a 4.01 GPA.
Often I am told that I should pursue more male influence in my ballet training. I do love and respect my teachers at AYBT, but I understand I will need to go elsewhere for advanced ballet training from male instructors. With that in mind, I auditioned for the Houston Ballet Summer Intensive and was accepted into Level 6, a six-week program which runs from June into July of this year. I've also looked into several master classes offered through Indianapolis City Ballet where I can learn from well-known male teachers from Vassar College, The John Cranko School, and the Joffrey Academy of Dance among others.
The distance of the Houston program from home as well as the tuition and other fees associated with it is a great financial responsibility. I will have to consider travel expenses, lodging, food, and any additional costs during a 6-week stay out of state away from my family, to say nothing of the very expensive tuition that goes along with some of the best instruction a 14-year old boy can receive. The master classes that I am taking locally, while they are in Indianapolis, they are not free. I will also be attending classes with this year's Regional Dance America. And as a dancer who puts a lot of effort into class, I constantly need new shoes and other dance necessities.
The financial need for this summer program is approximately $5000-$6000 more than what is available through my family, but I will only see this number grow every year as I improve and as I am offered new opportunities. The total listed here is the bare minimum I need to complete my current opportunity for training this summer. Much more is needed in the months to come. Any funds earned over this goal will offer me additional training options or will allow my parents to give more to my brother and sisters. My goal is to raise as much as I can because it will be helpful for my entire family.
While my parents love and support me and want the best for me and my dance education, the current state of the economy has led to my father being laid off at the end of 2012 and now keeps them from financing all of this on their own. If this burden wasn't enough, I also have three other siblings and do not want my parents to take away from them to help me with my dreams. I am determined to do what I can to help saving my birthday and holiday money and doing odd jobs for neighbors, but because of my age and because I have classes at least 5 days a week and spend nearly 20 hours every week in the studio, I am unable to get a job. I hope that this site can help me raise the funds I need. Anything you can contribute will bring a young dancer just a little bit closer to achieving a dream. You have the opportunity to invest in my future. I promise that I will not disappoint you.
Thank you very much!
-Alek
Alek has reached his FIRST goal of $5000!!
We are now moving towards his THIRD goal of $12,500.
This ensures that his summer dance plans can be completed: MidStates Dance Festival, Summer Intensive with the Houston Ballet, and three Master Classes in Indianapolis. He has paid tuition and fees. He has arranged travel, lodging, and meals. He has ordered the clothes and shoes that he needs for the summer "“ both classes and performances. He has seen the Russia Ballet perform Cinderella.
Our fundraising efforts do not end here.
His SECOND goal of $6800 allows Eric and Sheila to travel to Houston, TX to observe his classes, interact with his instructors, and see his final gala performances. He will have opportunity to see other professional performances and attend even more Master Classes through the Indianapolis City Ballet.
A FINAL goal of $12500 would secure next summer as well and will allow for the two planned trips to Chicago with his home studio. For summer 2014, he may return to Houston or he may focus his energies on Pittsburgh, Chicago, or New York.
We are looking at other opportunities for him and your continued support can keep him in extra studies throughout the coming year, will allow him to see professional touring ballet productions, and better plan for his future.
Thank you so much for your support.
~sheila
- - -
Hi. My name is Aleksandr Schroeder. I'm 15 years old and I'm a dancer.
I started studying ballet when I was 3 and since then I've added tap, jazz, modern, and musical theater skills. I want to pursue a career in dance after I graduate high school and college and know that any extra experience I get now will help my development tremendously.
In 2011, I was accepted to the AYBT Company. AYBT has gained attention as an Honors Company for Mid-States Regional Dance America. In my two years performing with this company I have attended one regional (Pittsburgh, PA) and one international (Montreal, Canada) dance festival. The dance department at Anderson University most recently has invited me to perform with them as part of their spring gala. While focusing on my study with AYBT I have been blessed to showcase my growing skills in the roles of Nutcracker Prince, Russian, Reed Flutes, Harlequin, and Mouse King in recent productions of The Nutcracker. In other AYBT performances, I have danced variations from Copellia (Franz), Don Quixote (Basil), and Sleeping Beauty (Bluebird).
When I am not performing, I spend much of my week in classes. My love for dance doesn't even end with performing and learning. I also assist with ballet class instruction for our studio's 6-7 year old dancers. I have done community outreach performing excerpts from current productions at area nursing homes and have completed school visits to teach elementary students about dance. In addition to this, I am finishing my freshman year at Anderson High School and ranked first in my class with a 4.01 GPA.
Often I am told that I should pursue more male influence in my ballet training. I do love and respect my teachers at AYBT, but I understand I will need to go elsewhere for advanced ballet training from male instructors. With that in mind, I auditioned for the Houston Ballet Summer Intensive and was accepted into Level 6, a six-week program which runs from June into July of this year. I've also looked into several master classes offered through Indianapolis City Ballet where I can learn from well-known male teachers from Vassar College, The John Cranko School, and the Joffrey Academy of Dance among others.
The distance of the Houston program from home as well as the tuition and other fees associated with it is a great financial responsibility. I will have to consider travel expenses, lodging, food, and any additional costs during a 6-week stay out of state away from my family, to say nothing of the very expensive tuition that goes along with some of the best instruction a 14-year old boy can receive. The master classes that I am taking locally, while they are in Indianapolis, they are not free. I will also be attending classes with this year's Regional Dance America. And as a dancer who puts a lot of effort into class, I constantly need new shoes and other dance necessities.
The financial need for this summer program is approximately $5000-$6000 more than what is available through my family, but I will only see this number grow every year as I improve and as I am offered new opportunities. The total listed here is the bare minimum I need to complete my current opportunity for training this summer. Much more is needed in the months to come. Any funds earned over this goal will offer me additional training options or will allow my parents to give more to my brother and sisters. My goal is to raise as much as I can because it will be helpful for my entire family.
While my parents love and support me and want the best for me and my dance education, the current state of the economy has led to my father being laid off at the end of 2012 and now keeps them from financing all of this on their own. If this burden wasn't enough, I also have three other siblings and do not want my parents to take away from them to help me with my dreams. I am determined to do what I can to help saving my birthday and holiday money and doing odd jobs for neighbors, but because of my age and because I have classes at least 5 days a week and spend nearly 20 hours every week in the studio, I am unable to get a job. I hope that this site can help me raise the funds I need. Anything you can contribute will bring a young dancer just a little bit closer to achieving a dream. You have the opportunity to invest in my future. I promise that I will not disappoint you.
Thank you very much!
-Alek
Organizer
Sheila Sanford Schroeder
Organizer
Anderson, IN