Help Sydney Upchurch Travel to Prix de Lausanne

https://instagram.com/dancing_sydney?utm_medium=copy_link Hi, my name is Sydney Upchurch. I am 15 years old and live outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. I have been dancing for a little over 5 years doing ballet en pointe and contemporary. I train almost 40 hours per week and I also attend school at my dance studio as well with The Scholars Academy for the Gifted and Artistically Elite . Dance is my joy. It is something that I have found lets me express myself and completely be me. My goal is to be a professional ballet dancer within the next couple years.

 

I am very grateful to announce that I have been selected as a candidate for the 2022 Prix de Lausanne.  For those not familiar with Prix, it is a very prestigious international ballet competition held in Switzerland.  I have the chance to network with company directors, perform, take classes and even possibly receive a scholarship or contract to dance at one of the best companies/schools in the world. I am 1 of 81 dancers chosen to attend representing 17 countries.  I am so humbled that I get to represent the USA! 

 

My family has made a lot of sacrifices for me to dance as far as money and many other things as well. My mom spends 4 hours a day just in the car just taking me back-and-forth to dance because we live an hour away from my dance studio. Not only that, but she also has to take my 7 year old brother to and from school and all of his activities, plus do everything at home. Sometimes I feel like this has been such a burden on my family (even though I know they don’t think that). They are so supportive.  I am proud of my stepdad because he has worked so much extra just so I can dance and yet I know he has to deal with so much.

 

I would be so grateful for any and every donation. The money raised here will go towards airfare, hotel and entry fees for these events. Some of the funds will probably also be used for pointe shoes or possible costumes needed. I just know this could take a lot of strain off of my family. They have been making my dreams come true for me and I just wanted to find a way to be able to take a little bit of stress off of them.

 

 

Thank you so much for helping me reach my goals and live my dream. It will not be forgotten. I believe in pay it forward and hope to do that one day. 

 

Sydney