Dancing My Way to San Francisco

Dancers are hard workers.  We give our blood, sweat and tears for the sake of creating art through movement.

My name is Chelsea Van Billiard and I am a dancer originally from Las Vegas, Nevada. I began dancing 11 years ago, and my dance training at the Las Vegas Academy for Performing Arts sparked my interest in dance as not only a hobby but a career. Over the course of four years at LVA I studied ballet, modern, jazz and improvisation while also performing and choreographing. After high school, I moved to my current home in Hawai'i to continue dance training at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. This past fall semester, I studied abroad at the London Contemporary Dance School. This was the most eye opening experience I have ever had. The training at this school was incredible and I was introduced to new dance techniques and ways of moving that I never thought possible. My outlook on dance as a career shifted into a whole new level of desire and determination. I also learned that if I wanted to get to where I wanted to be, it wasn't going to be an easy journey. It is no secret that us dancers face a day to day struggle. Physically, we work ourselves into the ground. Mentally, we critique ourselves and are constantly battling the question "Am I good enough?" We must take any opportunities that present themselves because we never know when another will cross our path. Now that college graduation draws closer, these are becoming harder to access. Which is why I have worked hard to earn a place at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance Summer Intensive. This 4 week dance program consists of ballet and contemporary classes as well as performing repertory by world renown choreographer Ohad Naharin. The intensive also focuses on Gaga, a unique improvisational movement technique used as a choreographic tool, which I was introduced to while studying in London. These areas of study are crucial to the development of my own voice as an artist and I am so proud to have to the chance to be a part of this program. The only downside to a month of elite dance training is a pricey tuition. Although I am saving and have already paid my first deposit, the remaining cost of attendance and housing for this program is simply unattainable on my own. This is why I am asking for your help. The smallest donation can bring me closer to an experience that will truly change my life as a dancer and artist. Thank you for your support!