Dear friends and family,

Although you may already know me personally, allow me to introduce

myself and my reason for writing this letter to you. My name is Ashley Elliott, I’m

a freshman in high school, and there is nothing I love more in this world than

dance. Of course, you probably know this if you follow my mom on social media

as she posts my performances and dance-related experiences quite frequently.

However, most of our friends and family don’t know that I have finally decided to

pursue dance as my career for the future.

Why would I choose such a hardcore profession that demands immense

physical and mental strength? The answer is simple: passion. Dance is everything

to me, and it always has been. Whether I’m in the studio practicing choreography

for a performance or simply perfecting a quick combination in class, I’m

immediately swept away by the gracefulness and preciseness of ballet. For me,

dance is more than just a hobby. It’s an art, a lifestyle, and a part of who I am. I

truly couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life other than glorifying God

with this gift and passion that He’s so graciously given to me.

That being said, becoming a professional dancer of any kind, especially a

ballerina, is a difficult and time consuming process. One must have the proper

foundational training and a good work ethic to improve their technique and grow

their individual artistry. Although I have been dancing for almost ten years now, I

unfortunately haven’t been able to get the professional training I need year-round

to help propel me towards my dream. However, I am hoping to make up for lost

time by working hard at home and in my studio and participating in professional

summer intensives to see improvement in my skills more quickly.

Last summer, I was given the incredible opportunity to train with Nashville

Ballet School for three wonderful weeks, and during that time I grew more as a

dancer and individual than I ever have before. I had never received professional

ballet training prior to my time in Tennessee, and as one might expect, I was quite

underprepared for what lay ahead of me that summer. Six days a week we took

classes in ballet, pointe, and repertoire as well as pilates, yoga, or conditioning

every morning to keep our bodies healthy and build strength. Continuously, I

acquired many vital corrections for improvement from a variety of instructors, all

of which came from different backgrounds and experiences in dance. Towards the

end of my three-week intensive, I knew so much more about the artistry and

technical aspects of dance and how to apply them to my personal talents than

ever before. Moreover, I realized that I had enjoyed every minute of my time

spent learning and dancing almost daily, even though it had been exhausting at

times. My summer in Nashville opened my eyes to what a career in ballet might

be like, and since then I’ve decided to seek out my dream in every possible way.

This year, I have been accepted into many professional ballet companies’

summer programs, including Cincinnati Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and Ballet Chicago.

Since I’m fifteen now, I wish to go somewhere for longer than three weeks, as I

believe I’ll get even more out of the experience. Also, I don’t have many summers

left before I graduate high school, and if I want to dance professionally, I need all

the training I can get since the prime years for professional ballerinas are their

college years. However, most of the longer summer intensives cost thousands of

dollars, which is much more expensive than I had hoped. With my large family, we

can’t afford to spend copious amounts of money all at once, so the chances of me

being able to attend a professional ballet program this summer are very low.

Therefore, I am writing you this letter with the hope in my heart that God

will provide for my needs in one way or another. If you feel moved by my letter to

donate money so that I can reach the path to my dream of becoming a

professional dancer, then all I can do is thank you from the bottom of my heart

and pray God blesses you and your family. Any little bit of money helps in the long

run, and hopefully with your donation, my efforts at home, and God on our side

we can find a way to make this work for the best. Of course, if donating doesn’t

seem like the right fit for you, I’d greatly appreciate your prayers and words of

support. Finally, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read this letter and

understand my passion. I can only hope and trust that God has a plan for my life

and he will be glorified by it in the end.

Sincerely,

Ashley Elliott