Help These Young Dancers Leap into Their Future

Their Story

Cielo (20 years old) and Kerly (19 years old) are two young passionate ballet dancers from low-income neighborhoods, Pacifico de Villa and San Genaro II in the district of Chorrillos located in Lima, Peru. For them, ballet became an escape to another world that brings them joy and hopes for a better future.

This year, Cielo and Kerly received a scholarship to integrate into a 10-month program, at BDC Barcelona Dance Center a ballet school in Barcelona, Spain. A unique opportunity for both dance students to be one step closer to their ultimate goal, becoming professional ballet dancers and joining a ballet company. Additionally, one of their big wishes is one day to be able to return this help by being able to help more kids in their community.

However, the cost of the program is out of reach for Cielo and Kerly's family. That's why we're asking for your help. Any donation, no matter how small, will help them achieve their dream of studying ballet in Spain.

Your donation will help cover the cost of airplane tickets and travel insurance (required for their student visa). This is a great opportunity in their lives, and if we surpass our goal with your help, all the donations will be used to cover other expenses on their journey.

WHERE ARE YOUR DONATIONS GOING?

Airplane Tickets

Tickets round trip Lima, Peru - Barcelona, Spain:

(September , 2023 / June 31st, 2024)

- $2,245.00 for each ticket with IBERIA

- $4,264.00 total for both tickets

Travel Insurance:

International student health insurance in Spain, with SANITAS Insurance Company

(September 1st, 2023 / June 31st, 2024)

- €540.00/$605.00 for each girl for 10 months

- $1,212.00 total for both

LINKS

- Article in the Guardian (English)

- Article in NBC News (English)

- Article France24 (Spanish)

VIDEOS

CIELO INTERVIEW:

What is your name and how old are you?

Hi, I’m Cielo and I'm 20 years old.

How long have you been dancing?

I have been doing ballet for 6 years.

What are your goals after studying in Spain?

1. Be part of a professional company.

2. Open the door for my friends if they want to study dance in the future.

3. Follow the example of my teacher, teach low-income children.

4. help my family and teacher.

Why is ballet important to you?

Ballet is very important to me because it has helped me to be myself and to express myself freely without anyone criticizing me for my way of being or my physical appearance. It has also helped me to loosen up and express myself more, something that I used to be very shy about and did not express what I felt, but thanks to ballet I can now express it without fear. It has also helped me to forget some of the problems that I have had along the way. Of all the problems that I have had, I feel that there is one in particular that ballet helped me a lot with, and that was the death of my mother when I was about to give up everything. When I say everything, it is my life and the things that I was doing at the time. I thought that my life no longer had any meaning, but Miss Mari Carmen helped me a lot. She practically rescued me from the gray world that I was going through at that time. Something that I will always say is that some people say that we waste our time dancing, but what they do not know is that we gain more life by dancing. I have received a lot of criticism from my family, which has caused me to doubt what I wanted to study at the time. I do not criticize them, but I think that people are used to the idea that we all study certain careers that are very well-known, but they do not know that there are other very beautiful careers in art.

Where do you live?

I live in the district of Chorrillos, Pacífico de Villa.

Any last statement?

Thank you very much, Mrs. Fabiola for your help, for me Ballet is my life.

KERLY INTERVIEW:

What is your name and how old are you?

My name is Kerly Vera, and I am 19 years old.

How long have you been dancing?

From a very young age, I felt a great attraction to the world of dance, unfortunately, due to my limited financial means I could not take classes, it was a day that the Brigida Silva de Ochoa school taught free ballet classes and I attended, even though I was the biggest in the group, I kept going very persevering with the goal of one day becoming a professional dancer. This adventure began when I was 15 years old, currently, I am still constantly practicing ballet and contemporary dance to be able to go to study in Barcelona where I obtained a scholarship for professional training.

What are your goals after going to study in Spain?

A great goal that I have is to be part of an important ballet and contemporary company where I can dance this beautiful art and continue to grow as a dancer and as a person.

Likewise, I would like to be able to help my family, open the doors to new opportunities.

A long-term goal that I have is to continue with the beautiful project that my teacher has been carrying out, to be able to offer opportunities to boys and girls who are passionate about dance and change their lives through dance as Miss Maricarmen changed it for me.

Why is ballet important to you?

This simple word, that is ballet, is everything to me.

I have been able to grow in several aspects as a person, be more disciplined, strong and continue fighting for what I want.

For me, ballet is that breath of life that helps me give true meaning to my life, it has helped me heal wounds, it has given me opportunities that I never imagined, and above all able to believe that dreams come true, you are the only one who can shape your destiny you just have to trust yourself.

To this is added the support of my family and especially my mother who never lost hope in me and helped me get up many times when I thought I had no strength left, she knows that I love her very much and I dedicate every dance to her that I do with a lot of love.

Where do you live?

San Genaro II, Chorrillos, Lima/ Peru

Any last statement?

I just want to say,

Thank you very much Kerly, for not giving up!

Thank you very much Miss Maricarmen for trusting me!

Thank you very much, Mom, for encouraging me to keep going!

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Please donate today and help Cielo and Kerly's Ballet Dreams come true!

They are grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow through dance, and they hope to inspire others to pursue their dreams with the same passion.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!