Costa Rica Inclusivity Scholarship 2024

Dear Dance Community

Help fund three Costa Rican dancers (and 1-2 additional Central American dancers) attend the 10th Annual International Contact Improv Dance Retreat in Cahuita, Costa Rica.

Nine years ago I started this initiative to make this retreat more accessible to Costa Ricans wishing to participate but financially unable to. The economic reality in Costa Rica and other Central American countries is such that unfortunately even with greatly reduced rates that I offer local dancers, most cannot afford to come. At the last retreat due to the generosity of our community committed to inclusion and accessibility we were able to raise enough for 3 Costa Rican and 2 Mexican dancers! The experience was enriched for us all and gave them training and inspiration to take back to their local dance communities. Thank you everyone who helped by contributing these last seven years!

This year I am once again appealing to the Dance community and beyond to help. I will be waiving my workshop fee and Goddess Garden Retreat is offering a special discounted room/board rate towards this effort so all that needs to be raised per dancer is $500 per scholarship recipient. Any amount donated to this fund will be greatly appreciated.

When I started teaching Contact Improv in Costa Rica 12 years ago there were no Contact Jams and practically nobody trained in Contact Improv in the country. Now there is a thriving weekly jam started by students of mine. Help me continue to support the local dance community to thrive!

Recipients will be chosen on January 7th from a pool of eligible dancers who have shown their commitment to the local Contact Improv community and who have submitted applications to be considered. If $1500 needed for 3 Costa Rican dancers to attend is raised a stretch goal of an additional $500 is in in place to help an individual from the dance communities of Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico or other Central American country attend the retreat.

Thanks for any amount no matter how small or large that you are able to help out with!

This year's scholarship is dedicated in loving memory to Jefferson Chacon (1995-2023) who was one of the scholarship recipients in 2017, was well loved in the Costa Rica dance community and will be missed.

For those interested in applying for the scholarship (or to share with a friend who is eligible) here is the application form: https://forms.gle/vJt9johbnDCTFMwW6

In Motion & Gratitude,

Moti