Help Mati become world class dancer
Donation protected
Help Mathias Toro become a world class ballet dancer
Mati is a rambunctious 9 year old obsessed with pushing his body to do ever more amazing things. As a gymnast, he’s been turning heads since he was four. In our little rural town in Vermont, he was happy to keep practicing hard day in and day out, until an email came that turned our lives upside down: a once in a lifetime chance to audition for the School of American Ballet in Manhattan, NYC.
SAB is one of the top 5 ballet schools in the world. It’s the official training academy of The New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. It’s the big time. So, with some trepidation, we all headed down to Manhattan for the audition in April 2016. After a tense, month-long wait we got the email that would change everything.
"We are delighted to inform you that Mathias has been accepted to attend the School of the American Ballet’s 2016-17 course as a result of attending our recent audition."
Ballet will be a new challenge for Mati. Since he was very young, he’s loved gymnastics. It just came naturally to him. Mati is the kind of kid who would rather practice his sport than do just about anything else: he’ll take any free five minutes to have fun practicing his back tucks, aerials or walking handstands. “He sometimes watches TV with his legs wrapped around his head like a pretzel”. He knows his body can do amazing things, and he revels in it. In year 2013 and 2014 he achieved second place overall in the state of Vermont in his category and qualified for regionals in year 2014 and 15. In summer 2015 he attended to a one month summer camp in Barcelona Spain with Gervasio Deferr considered number one gymnast in his country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gervasio_Deferr
When he first heard he was accepted at SAB he was shocked “how did they chose me among all those very talented boys” and also a bit sad because he knew it meant he would have to leave his friends. He usually puts together choreographies of gymnastics and ballet at home but never crossed his mind this could happen. He was just thrilled!
The road has not been easy. Mati has had injuries, he has had to commute with his mom two, three or sometimes even more times a week an hour and half drive each way to his training center in Williston through Vermont’s harsh winters and his parents have sacrificed and invested to keep him training. But he wouldn’t have it any other way, this stuff is in his veins.
But now with such an amazing opportunity knocking on their door the Toro family have taken the challenge. Mathias is thrilled to give it a shot and his parents are willing to go all the way to make this happen which means they will have to move to NY and get new jobs by summer 2016.
This free tuition program created in the 80's by Peter Martins current Chairman and Artistic Director for The School of American Ballet and New York City Ballet was founded with the idea of attracting and training young male ballet promises.
Even though the program is 100% sponsored by The School of American Ballet moving to New York represent an unexpected financial challenge for Mati’s family. With the funds raised through this campaign they expect to cover part of the initial housing and moving expenses.
To make this all happen, Mati needs $5,000.
THANK YOU!!!
Go fund Mati!
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Mati is a rambunctious 9 year old obsessed with pushing his body to do ever more amazing things. As a gymnast, he’s been turning heads since he was four. In our little rural town in Vermont, he was happy to keep practicing hard day in and day out, until an email came that turned our lives upside down: a once in a lifetime chance to audition for the School of American Ballet in Manhattan, NYC.
SAB is one of the top 5 ballet schools in the world. It’s the official training academy of The New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. It’s the big time. So, with some trepidation, we all headed down to Manhattan for the audition in April 2016. After a tense, month-long wait we got the email that would change everything.
"We are delighted to inform you that Mathias has been accepted to attend the School of the American Ballet’s 2016-17 course as a result of attending our recent audition."
Ballet will be a new challenge for Mati. Since he was very young, he’s loved gymnastics. It just came naturally to him. Mati is the kind of kid who would rather practice his sport than do just about anything else: he’ll take any free five minutes to have fun practicing his back tucks, aerials or walking handstands. “He sometimes watches TV with his legs wrapped around his head like a pretzel”. He knows his body can do amazing things, and he revels in it. In year 2013 and 2014 he achieved second place overall in the state of Vermont in his category and qualified for regionals in year 2014 and 15. In summer 2015 he attended to a one month summer camp in Barcelona Spain with Gervasio Deferr considered number one gymnast in his country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gervasio_Deferr
When he first heard he was accepted at SAB he was shocked “how did they chose me among all those very talented boys” and also a bit sad because he knew it meant he would have to leave his friends. He usually puts together choreographies of gymnastics and ballet at home but never crossed his mind this could happen. He was just thrilled!
The road has not been easy. Mati has had injuries, he has had to commute with his mom two, three or sometimes even more times a week an hour and half drive each way to his training center in Williston through Vermont’s harsh winters and his parents have sacrificed and invested to keep him training. But he wouldn’t have it any other way, this stuff is in his veins.
But now with such an amazing opportunity knocking on their door the Toro family have taken the challenge. Mathias is thrilled to give it a shot and his parents are willing to go all the way to make this happen which means they will have to move to NY and get new jobs by summer 2016.
This free tuition program created in the 80's by Peter Martins current Chairman and Artistic Director for The School of American Ballet and New York City Ballet was founded with the idea of attracting and training young male ballet promises.
Even though the program is 100% sponsored by The School of American Ballet moving to New York represent an unexpected financial challenge for Mati’s family. With the funds raised through this campaign they expect to cover part of the initial housing and moving expenses.
To make this all happen, Mati needs $5,000.
THANK YOU!!!
Go fund Mati!
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Organizer
Alecia Branger
Organizer
Rochester, VT