<div>Dear friends,
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<div>As some of you may know, two years ago I was in Israel when bombs dropped. It was a harrowing experience and I was blessed and grateful to be able to leave Israel and make my way through Istanbul to Vienna and then to Slovakia, out of harms way. While there, I met a family of Ukrainian refugees. The mother and two daughters fled the war in  Ukraine and are still living in Slovakia today.
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<div>Nika Petrova , age 17, is the older sister in the family. She is a very talented ballerina. She speaks four languages including English fluently. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this young woman is her resilience. With all she and her family have been through with the war, her passion for ballet, her inner joy, and her dedication to her training, has never dimmed. She recently performed in The Nutcracker at the
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<div>Slovak National Theatre.
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<div>Now Nika has the rare opportunity to study ballet at one of the best ballet academies in the United States, The Idyllwild Arts Academy. They  expressed that they see an exceptionally skilled dancer with a cheerful disposition, genuine gratitude and intellect. They  believe she will be a welcomed addition to their student body. They offered her partial financial aid/scholarship and I am hoping that with some community help Nika can realize her dream of dancing and studying in The United States. . Please join us in our goal to raise $40,000 to cover the balance of her tuition and boarding. Every dollar counts and Nika is grateful for any help you can provide. Thank you for considering her GoFundMe campaign.
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<div>On behalf of Nika and her family, thank you so very much for your support. 
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<div>With love and gratitude,
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<div>Bill Rotella
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SMYPR SMYPR

Cynthia Donald

Luella Freed

Jean Parsons

Anonymous

Lori Howard

Cecile Bagdadi

sara andon

Beverly Pavone

AnnMarie Hamilton

Steven A Clark

Geri Rotella Rotter

Clete Keith

Irina Voloshina

Kimball Chatfield

Kelsa Smith-Mouskourova

Ellen Smith

Lorene Sexton

Support Nika's Journey from War to Dance Academy

Support Nika's Journey from War to Dance Academy

Still $6,565 to go. Help us build momentum.