Help Defrances Academy of Dance

You may or may not know me, but my name is Sarah Hilarides and I am from Minneapolis Minnesota. I am a dancer, choreographer and I also work for a
well known dance competition in the country. I wanted to take a minute to talk about a studio whom I've known for many many years.  A studio that has become a family to me. Defrances Academy of dance. There is too many great things to say to say about Defrances Academy of dance to even start so I guess you must first begin with Mama.

Mama (Cathy) DeFrances opened a dance studio 45 years ago because she wanted to spread the love of learning and the art of dance to children. She's such a compassionate, loving woman who even still today works non stop sewing and rhinestoning most of the competition teams costumes or making drapes for someone's new house, or even a bedspread lol! She gives her time , her life and all she has to her family and Dance studio which is now owned and ran by her beautiful daughters Gwynn and Angie DeFrances. This family and dance studio has not only trained beautiful dancers, but they help raise beautiful, polite, hardworking human beings. Gwynn has given me the shirt off her back so many times I have lost count .  They just care about everyone. 

What you're looking at in that picture is Mamas house which was under about 15 ft of water not even 2 days ago. The flooding in Baton Rouge has devastated and crumbled so many homes that many parents and students of Defrances have lost everything they have ever owned and are left scrambling to find someplace to stay. My heart truly breaks to think some of these poor kids won't even be able to return to the studio they love and thrive at because they have literally nowhere to turn and no money to help get them and their parents people on their feet.

I think about the wonderful kids I see on the Dance Force which is their competition team.. About 50 kids. All of them directly affected by this horrible tragedy. I ask to give each of these families $100 dollar Walmart gift card. Whether it's to buy groceries for the week, maybe some new clothes or both. Imagine losing it all... Where do you turn? Where do you even start?

I would ask for clothes ,blankets and shoes but like I mentioned...
Most of these people don't even have a place to put anything at this time.


All money raised will be transferred straight to Gwynn herself.

Thank You from the bottom of my heart for whatever you can give... Just know that if you were ever in a situation  The DeFrances family would be there for you. Geux Dance Force