My name is Luciana Tarantino and it has been a lifelong dream to become a professional dancer. I've been dancing for most of my life, starting with Classical Ballet, then Bharatnatyam Indian Dance, and then adding more Contempory and Modern dancing to my experience. Now, I have the opportunity to fulfill my dream! I auditioned for Alonzo King's LINES Ballet Training Program, (the last year I am eligible due to my age) and was accepted.  (LINES Ballet is the premier contemporary dance company in San Francisco, CA.) Attending the two-year program will not only be an experience of a lifetime, but will open doors to the world of professional dance.

Currently, I am working full-time to support myself and I am trying to save as much as I can for this program. However, the first year's tuition alone is $9600 and that does not include housing and living expenses. Once I'm in the training program I will be dancing 35 hours a week,  so working to fully support myself isn't an option.  My hope is that donations to my fund at Gofundme will help to make my dream a reality.