Help Aashka Dance Company Survive COVID-19
Donation protected
Aashka Dance Company in Hyde Park, MA provides children with a safe and nurturing environment to express themselves through the art of dance. The students learn a variety of dances such as Hip-Hop, Krump, Bachata, Salsa, Cha-Cha, Merengue, Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, and African Bantaba.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aashka is unable to host classes for their students and thus, while not collecting tuition, is not able to afford rent during this time. Studio owner, Ms. Mayolina, cares so desperately about her students that she has been supporting the studio with her own personal funds for the past 4 months. Ms. Mayolina cannot continue to support the studio on her own, and without help the studio will have to close permanently.
Who are the students?
While Aashka Dance Company welcomes students of all ages, backgrounds, and identities, the majority of students at Aashka are underserved youth from in and around the Boston Metropolitan Area. With the intention to guide each student to a college education upon graduation, many Aashka students will be the first in their family to pursue a degree in higher education. Aashka maintains and expects academic success and rigor from its students, and many events are hosted supporting additional learning including SAT tutoring and financial planning basics class on the weekends.
Why Support Aashka and prevent the studio from closing?
Closing the studio would be detrimental to the well-being of the students. Not only does dance provide a creative outlet for the students, dance also provides students with physical discipline, structured learning, and a welcoming, embracing community. The teachers at Aashka Dance Company aim to form a nurturing environment for the students where they can be their most vulnerable and expressive while pushing themselves to make connections and learn new things. All of the students are eager to get back on the dance floor, and if the students were to not be able to return to the studio, it would be heartbreaking.
The financial details:
Rent for the studio each month is $1200. Having already paid for some of the summer, the studio is still in debt to the landlord for the months of July, August, September, and October.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aashka is unable to host classes for their students and thus, while not collecting tuition, is not able to afford rent during this time. Studio owner, Ms. Mayolina, cares so desperately about her students that she has been supporting the studio with her own personal funds for the past 4 months. Ms. Mayolina cannot continue to support the studio on her own, and without help the studio will have to close permanently.
Who are the students?
While Aashka Dance Company welcomes students of all ages, backgrounds, and identities, the majority of students at Aashka are underserved youth from in and around the Boston Metropolitan Area. With the intention to guide each student to a college education upon graduation, many Aashka students will be the first in their family to pursue a degree in higher education. Aashka maintains and expects academic success and rigor from its students, and many events are hosted supporting additional learning including SAT tutoring and financial planning basics class on the weekends.
Why Support Aashka and prevent the studio from closing?
Closing the studio would be detrimental to the well-being of the students. Not only does dance provide a creative outlet for the students, dance also provides students with physical discipline, structured learning, and a welcoming, embracing community. The teachers at Aashka Dance Company aim to form a nurturing environment for the students where they can be their most vulnerable and expressive while pushing themselves to make connections and learn new things. All of the students are eager to get back on the dance floor, and if the students were to not be able to return to the studio, it would be heartbreaking.
The financial details:
Rent for the studio each month is $1200. Having already paid for some of the summer, the studio is still in debt to the landlord for the months of July, August, September, and October.
Organizer
Helena Dworak
Organizer
Boston, MA