Carter Howell's NYC Nationals Trip

"Sometimes, on the darkest nights, you can lay under the moon and count the stars... Watch them flicker and bounce around the sky... and if you close your eyes you can paint a picture and freeze your favorite frames like a still shot so you can revisit them when the clouds take over. In these moments we are most alive. In these moments there is no limitation in the universe. Nothing to bind us down. Nothing to stop us from paving our own roads rather left or right. Let us never teach our children to not shoot for the stars for they are keepers of the sky and they hold the key to the hearts that seek a more difficult path in life. The ones that understand if you want something you have to work hard for it. Day in day out. Through blood, sweat, and tears. Through their successes and their defeats. Let us learn from our mistakes and turn them into something great. If we don't pass along the torch with positivity then how do you expect for our children to break the barriers in life as they are thrown at us time and time again. Let our hearts beat in a similar cadence, let us encourage them. Let us guide them in the right direction, because I so often go outside and look at the same sky. Constantly asking for answers to all the questions still left unanswered. We never stop growing. We never stop learning. We must remember that earning something means much more than being given anything. When you are backed in a corner you must find a way. Confidence or the feeling of self-assurance arises from ones appreciation of ones own abilities or qualities. The quality you seek in life should never be limited by the negative voices you so often hear. Always shoot for the stars, don't ever give up, and one day you will look to the sky with a different meaning, but self-worth and the ability to supersede obstacles will not be one of them."

It is funny how life plays out. Carter, at age two, was the most clumsy child. Running around as fast as she could, only to trip and fall over her own two feet. Thanks to some great friends, we decided to try her out in dance at the age of four. What began as just a cute hobby for our daughter, soon turned into the possibility of her turning her love for dance into a possible career path. Traci Kurth Frederick saw extreme potential in Carter and soon took her under her wing. Traci began privates with Carter. They would work wherever they could find adequate space. I would love to say that we as parents, have everything to do with her ability and talent, her drive, her compassion. To be honest, besides just financially and emotionally supporting her, encouraging her, and loving her, she has become who she is thanks to a great dance teacher, a great studio and the dance team members that she surrounds herself with. This has turned into something that we never anticipated. In November, Carter competed at a Regional Competition in Houston with New York City Dance Alliance (NYCDA) and was selected out of hundreds of girls in her age division to compete in New York City this upcoming July in their National Competition. The amount of talent we saw at NYCDA was out of this world. We have never questioned Carter's talent, but when she ranked in the Top Ten to receive a "Mini Outstanding Dancer" award, we were shocked. As parents, who would we be to deny our daughter of the opportunity to compete at a national level at only ten years old? This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for Carter. She will compete nationally, against many impressive dancers from all over the United States. Not only will she be competing, she will be in intensive training the entire week she is there. These classes are not for the weak. She will dance 8+ hours a day, with short breaks in between. We will do whatever it takes for her to make it to NYC and to enjoy herself while she is there learning from the best of the best. We both work very hard to afford her dance costs, even at a regional level. With competition fees, convention fees, costumes, hotels, food... the costs add up quickly. We are asking that you help us make our little girl's dream to dance in New York City become a reality. We want to thank Chris Brennan and his team for the absolutely breathtaking video they shot for this GoFundMe. Traci Frederick and Cathy Kurth for the support during the video, as well as Carter's entire dancing career thus far. All of her teammates for the support and encouragement. Christian Beasley for his choreography, critiques and encouragement. Thank you all so much. All proceeds will go towards the entry fees, convention fees, travel, lodging, and food for the trip. We will shoot more update videos as this journey progresses, as well as videos during the trip to all that donate so that we can keep you updated on how she is doing.

We appreciate your thoughtfulness, your generosity, and your encouraging words! We honestly believe this trip will open big doors for Carter.  

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Video Credits

Directed by: Chris Brennan (chrisbrennanphoto.com)
Produced by: Chris Brennan
Choreography by: Christian Beasley and Traci Kurth Frederick
Hair and Makeup by: Whitney Howell
Music by: Sleeping At Last - Saturn
Poem by: Brett Howell