HELP SAVE EPIC DANCE

To our E.P.I.C. Family & Supporters,

WE NEED YOUR HELP RAISING $50,000 TO COVER DEBT ACCUMULATED DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. HELP US KEEP OUR SCHOOL OPEN.

E.P.I.C. is an acronym which stands for EXPRESSION, PERFORMANCE, IMAGINATION and CREATIVITY. We run on the notion that “You do not have to be the best dancer to be a great performer”. EPIC is more than just dance. Yes, we have serviced roughly around 800 students in our now 11 years. Providing all our students age 3 – adult, boys and girls with high quality dance education at very affordable prices, but it has never just stopped there…….

As you may know small businesses across the country have been negatively affected by the covid-19 pandemic especially our very own female black owned dance school. Instead of focusing on the bad the pandemic has caused we would rather bring you more into our EPIC world, so there is no doubt why we need to desperately save our school for our Black & Brown Kings and Queens.

We genuinely and whole heartedly care about our students and their families. When a student is enrolled in EPIC, we adopt the whole family. We do not just take money, teach classes, and kick the students out. We are a 2nd home to many of the students, families, and staff. A place they know they can always count on to be a place of caring, nurturing, positive community, freedom to be themselves without fear of judgment and a place where especially our black and brown youth have a voice!

Over the years 80% of EPIC staff has been made up of veteran EPIC students or former students of Ms. Jas when she was just a teacher before opening EPIC. The other 20% are from the surrounding community. 100% of our staff has always been Black and Brown Queens. It has always been important that we have staff who can serve as a vision for our students and how they want to see themselves in the future. For us having strong black and brown females, who are at the top in their respective dance genres shows our students who they all have the potential to be and not to be scared to follow their dreams because of the color of their skin. The most disrespected person in America is the black woman, but NOT at EPIC Dance!

When E.P.I.C. first opened 11 years ago we had no idea how much of an impact we would have in our community of Southside Jamaica Queens and more importantly the impact we would have on our students. Over the years EPIC has assisted our students and their families in many ways including, but not limited to: Academic excellence (Ms. Jas always reminds the students education is #1 and dance is an earned privilege, collects report cards and visits schools when students are failing), loss of employment, rape/molestation, anxiety, depression, divorce/separation, learning disabilities, self-confidence, relationships, healthy confrontation, bullying, positive self-image, health (physical, mental), socialization, work-study opportunities for high school age students, working with parents who have fallen on hard times (students come for free or reduced monthly rates), homelessness, team building, suicidal ideations, self-mutilation,  anorexia nervosa, bulimia, autism, ADHD/ Oppositional Defiant Disorder, childhood trauma, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, non-covid/covid-19 illnesses/deaths, loneliness, conflict resolution, references for job/college applications, performance high school auditions, BLACK EMPOWERMENT, promotion of other black-owned businesses (many being that of EPIC parents), referrals to outside resources as needed,  bringing service to the surrounding community and just overall being a support system for our students and families.

There is really no way for us to fit everything we do on this page, but we hope this glimpse shows you not just the type of business we are, but the type of heart our school has. We lead from our heart so our students can dance freely from their souls. We ask that you please donate what you can towards our $50,000 goal because without the help of our EPIC village: EPIC will not survive. If EPIC does not survive it will be another hard cry for the people we service especially our youth. We are asking that you be apart of this journey and HELP SAVE EPIC DANCE.

Peace & Blessings,

E.P.I.C Dance

***Please view the link at the bottom for our "covid tour video"*** It breaks down majority of the covid upgrades. We have since added to our covid safety since this video was recorded.

On behalf of our EPIC students, families, staff and Ms. Jasmine THANK YOU ALL and please donate what you can. ✊

https://www.facebook.com/epicdanceschool/videos/782505682290719/?vh=e&extid=DD0bsnUKHY5sbai9