Please support Danica's Ballet Journey

Hi, my name is Holly DesChamps and I am fundraising on behalf of my daughter Danica. She is an aspiring professional ballerina that has been accepted to many of the top Ballet Schools around the world. This summer she is raising funds to attend The International Summer Workshop at Nervi Festival in Italy and The Royal Ballet School in the UK.

The Nervi Ballet Music Festival is one of the oldest and most prestigious cultural events in Italy. Dancers will experience what it is to be part of a company in this extremely intensive experience.

The Royal Ballet School is one of the world's most celebrated centres for classical ballet training.

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Danica would like to share her story:

Since my very first Nutcracker experience my greatest desire is to become a professional ballerina. I remember that I had very little ballet training and I landed the role of Lead Mouse. That is when I fell head over heels in love with ballet. Sitting in rehearsal watching Clara that year, everything in my heart and soul yearned to put on pointe shoes and take centre stage. I enrolled in a pre-professional ballet training program. My dream came true 2 years later when I was cast as Clara! I have been happy to perform many roles since then including the coveted Sugar Plum Fairy.

My ballet journey began as a toddler taking a recreational class. However, that same summer the Olympics took place and like most little girls at that time I wanted to try gymnastics. I was tiny and strong and soon I was competing. The interesting part was that whenever I performed my floor routine people would comment that I looked like a ballerina. I started taking dance classes again and started competing in dance as well as gymnastics. Soon the schedules started to conflict as I was up to 9 hours at the gym and several days a week at dance. I loved dance more so I had to say goodbye to gymnastics. I danced in all genres competitively until that magical Nutcracker season when I found my true love...ballet!

Ballet is my life. There is nothing that fills me with more pleasure or passion. It is who I am and who I dream to be. Ballet is the air that I need to keep breathing. Ballet requires intense training. I train a minimum of 6 hours per day 5-6 days/week. It feels good when hard work turns into progress. Ballet is something that can never be perfected. It is a lifelong journey. I love the discipline that it requires just as much as I love performing. On stage I can be any character given to me or create my own. Not only am I able to express different emotions through ballet I hope the audience also feels them. Ballet makes me feel alive. And I want to share my love of ballet with others.

I am grateful to every school, teacher, dancer, family member and friend who have touched my life and inspired me on this amazing adventure. Both positively and not so positively. The not so positively helps to build my character and perseverance.

I have been blessed with parents who are unwavering in their support and who sacrifice so much for me. The ballet world is extremely expensive and the cost of living away from home, pointe shoes, costumes, private lessons, and intensives is high. My Dad works a full-time job and a part-time job. He works 7 days a week. And in the summer he works both jobs full-time. My Mom used to work two jobs but had an accident and health issues and is unable to work.

I am eternally grateful for all of the experiences I have had and hope to continue to have at many prestigious and esteemed ballet schools around the world. These have been invaluable to my progress.

Please, if you can, consider donating to my ballet journey. Any amount helps and I am eternally thankful.

Thank you,

Danica

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Danica is dedicated to achieving her goal of becoming a professional ballerina. Danica chose to give up attending high school in person and doing all of the regular things a teenager does to pursue a career in ballet and do school online. While most kids her age were choosing semi-formal dresses and going to high school football games, Danica was navigating a subway system in NYC at 14 (and now Toronto). She had never used public transport prior and had never been away from home more than a few weeks. She shopped for groceries, prepared her own meals and did her own laundry. Not seeing her every day has been one of the biggest sacrifices we have made as parents to support her.

Thank you,

Holly DesChamps