Hi everyone, my name is Claire Smith! Let me tell you a little bit more about myself and why I am asking for your help. After my summer intensive this year at Carolina Ballet, I was offered a spot in their pre-pro program, which functions like a traineeship and allows me to train very intensely while also allowing me opportunities to dance and rehearse with the professional company. This was my absolute dream and Carolina Ballet is my dream company, which is why my family and I have decided to send me down to North Carolina for it. I have been dancing since I was 3 years old, and my mom will tell you I never wanted to stop. I always wanted to be dancing, whether it was at home or at the studio. At the age of 8, I auditioned for my first ballet summer intensive at The Rock School for Dance Education, and I fell in love with ballet instantly. I have been pre-professionally training in ballet since, and have always had the same love for it. My one true dream is to be a professional ballerina, and my family has helped me achieve this in every way possible. When I was 12, my dad’s job took my little brother, my mom, and me from South Jersey to New York City, which was a huge adjustment for everyone. I was so lucky to be accepted into Ballet Academy East that year, the school that became my home. However, things started to get much more expensive as I got older, and NYC, being one of the most expensive cities in the country, was already incredibly expensive and burdening for my family. We were so fortunate to find the Angel Shine Foundation (and the founder, Allyson Tang), a foundation that helps and funds young dancers so that they can keep dancing, and this foundation provided full scholarship to me for the last 4 years of my ballet training. Without them, I probably would not have been able to keep training at BAE, or really anywhere. My family and I are forever grateful to them for their generosity and support. Ballet Academy East provided me with the best training I could have possibly received, and phenomenal performing opportunities such as Russian Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade and Swanhilda in Coppelia. This place and my wonderful teachers have prepared me for the ballet world and it will always be my home. (Swanhilda in Roger Van Fleteren’s Coppelia) (Russian Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade) As much as BAE will always be my home, I cannot pass up an opportunity like this to further my ballet career and dance and rehearse with a professional company - my dream company. However, I cannot do it without your help. My family has done everything they can to support me financially and have sacrificed so much for me, and I am so grateful for them, but it has gotten to a point where they can no longer solely support me. I am humbly asking for your help. Any kind of your support will go towards my rent, food, transportation, and my tuition. Anything you can give is a huge help, and I am forever grateful for your support. Thank you and much love, Claire Smith♥️
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