Saela's Journey to Prix de Lausanne

Hi everyone! My name is Saela Rivera-Martinez, and I am a 16-year-old pre-professional student at the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School. I am so excited to announce that I recently qualified to compete in the prestigious Prix de Lausanne international ballet competition in Switzerland. The Prix de Lausanne offers candidates scholarships to esteemed ballet schools and contracts with major companies around the world, providing opportunities to begin a career as a professional dancer. Of the 376 applicants this year, 81 were selected from 17 countries, and I was fortunate to be one of fourteen dancers from the United States. This is an unbelievable dream come true!

 

When I was four years old, I watched an excerpt of The Royal Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet and instantly fell in love with ballet. I started classes soon after at the Academy of Ballet Arts and ever since have been enraptured by this art form and fully dedicated to the ballet journey. At 12 years old, I started studying with Ariel Serrano, Wilmian Hernandez and the faculty at the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School. Their loving support and rigorous training have nurtured and developed me as both a dancer and person. Through literal blood, sweat and tears, through joys and triumphs, dance has profoundly defined me, and I feel like I have been called to this path.

 

I am immensely grateful to my school, sponsor, friends, family, and community, and it will be an honor to be represent them at Prix de Lausanne this year. My family is determined to do all we can, but we know we cannot do this alone. I am going to give this opportunity everything I have, and we would be so uplifted by the help your donations would provide. This fundraiser is a humble request for your support. Any contribution is deeply appreciated and will help significantly with the costs of travel, hotel, pointe shoes, costumes, and coaching sessions. Our goal is to gather funds by January 15, 2021, as the competition begins on January 31, 2022. Please know how very much I appreciate your encouragement. It means more to me than you know. I will leave my heart and soul on the stage!

 

with all my gratitude,

Saela