DrVapsTaps Memorial Scholarship Fund

On January 4, 2019, the world grew a little dimmer when we found out Circle City Tap Company member Vanessa Parris, DDS, MSD,MBA along with her sister Christalia Bostos, DDS had left this earth to join their beloved mother in Heaven.  
Vanessa was the definition of pure joy as well as an avid learner! Not only was she an accomplished and respected orthodontist, she had just finished her Master in Business at Butler University.  Her goal was to eventually own her own offices and explore the business side of her field.  Vanessa would light up a room and was always surprised when people would tell her so. She would always come to rehearsal prepared and ready to learn as much as she possibly could.  She was our company historian and had notated so much of our choreography in great detail.  She practiced every single day.  And it showed!  She loved to travel all over the country to attend Tap Festivals and often would pay for private lessons with people she admired and thought she could learn from.  I now have been blessed with the journals in which she wrote down all of the class notes, her thoughts and feelings, and even her future goals. She kept a practice journal as well.  She only recently rediscovered tap dancing as an adult.  She grew up taking lessons and performing, but like what happens to so many people as we get older, life just got in the way.  In 2017, she decided to rejoin the tap dance world after finding her feet again in a local adult class taught by one of our members, so we asked her to come check out CCTC.  She came on as a member of the apprentice company and in 2018 we made her a full member.  She was such an inspiration to so many people in and out of the dance world and truly just didn't realize it.  Her life was centered around God, Faith, and her family.  We were her tap family and we adored her.  Her last performance with us was in Detroit at the Motor City Tap Festival.  She was so nervous that she would mess up, but we just kept telling her we had faith she would be wonderful....and she did not disappoint.  That week we got to take classes with her and got the chance to know her better.  As fellow member Patty said, "I wish I could remember every single thing she said that weekend."  She truly meant so much to us.  To honor Vanessa's memory and love for tap dancing, Circle City Tap Company would like to offer multiple annual scholarships to deserving adults that are rediscovering their passion for tap.  These scholarships will pay for festivals or workshops of the winner's choice.  Vanessa had 2 pair of brand-new never-worn tap shoes that we have been gifted by her family to be able to help deserving individuals.  We are hoping to sell these shoes and 100% of the proceeds will go to this fund.  We are currently developing the application process and it will be found on the CCTC website as soon as it is ready to launch.  Our hope is to be able to do this for many years to come as I know that is what Vanessa would want.  Please help us let her memory live on through a legacy of learning.