Desert Diamond to City of Angels

Hi my name is Sila, thank you for taking the time to read my story.



It took me a lot of internal deliberation to set up this page.  To ask for help for something that is a dream.  Having been a single mum of 2 kids, running a business and working full time, I've often had the mentality that "I can do it on my own" but this one time, I know that if I don't ask for help, this is something I wont ever do on my own.

Myself with my two kids, Tyson, 9 and Jazlyn, 13.
  
I am a dancer from Alice Springs, Australia, a tiny town in the middle of the country where the closest major city is a 14hour drive north or south.  I have been contributing to the dance and arts community here for the past 17 years as an independent and mostly self taught artist.

This passion I have for dance is still burning strong as I get older and I can see a future that continues to contribute to the development of dance in the Red Centre.  I feel a deep desire to finally go and peruse some opportunities of growth and development beyond Alice Springs so I can bring back new skills and inspiration to put back into my work out here.   

THE GOAL: 
June - July 2018 to get from Alice Springs to the USA for;

GALEN HOOKS - Artist Development - Las Angeles
CLASSES - Various Classes in LA
ZIN CON 18 - ZUMBA Instructor Convention - ORLANDO


I need your help!   I have only 6 weeks to try and raise the money, I will be holding some fundraising classes here in Alice Springs as well as applying for a Grant that may help.  The monies raised will help in travel expenses and the cost of the training;
Airfares - $3500.00
GALEN HOOKS - $640.00 - Registered! THANK YOU
ZUMBA - $640.00
Self funding half and hoping to fundraise half.

It's not without a deep level of thoughtfulness that I ask for assistance.  Any contribution you make would be very much appreciated and valued and be used with the intention to gain more skills and practical experience to bring back to the community of Alice Springs. 

Even if you don't know me personally, you have never done one of my classes or seen one of my performances, I wanted to share with you some of the contributions I have made to the dance scene in Alice Springs with minimal recognition, often no record and many hours of time, heart and soul to help keep dance alive in the desert.  As much as Alice Springs has often been a hard place to further myself, I am so grateful to this town for the AMAZING opportunities I've been presented with or created.

Dance Video - RIVER Choreography by Galen Hooks
(Artist Development Workshop in Houston is with her)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2wzqKnF6dk&t=31s 

It all started for me with the mentoring and support of Bryn Williams who gave my creativity the freedom to be explored with an abundance of opportunity and guidance at OLSH College as a student and then returning after graduation as an Artist in Resident.



Regional Choreographer for the Croc Eisteddfod (when it still existed) travelling out bush to work with kids from Aboriginal communities.  To the many corporate events and gigs from the grand opening of the Alice Springs Convention Centre to shadow dancing with Yothu Yindi at the Yeperenye Festival, and these are just a couple of many events and amazing experiences.  While pregnant with my first child I directed and choreographed a Cabaret show for the Make A Wish foundation where I was once again able to work with many talented and giving people in the Alice Springs Community. 

After Jazlyn (now 13) was born I transitioned into more youth based programs.  Events, classes, programs and performances through Incite Arts, Alice Springs Youth and Community Centre INC., Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Centralian Girls Academy, Centralian Senior College, Yirara College, Yipirrinya School and so many more.   Majority being Health and Wellbeing or diversionary programs for at risk youth to engage them in positive and fun activities. 



In 2008 after the birth of my son (now 10) started my journey into Dance and Fitness when I approached the YMCA of Central Australia to start an adult dance class for exercise and fun.  This lead into discovering ZUMBA FITNESS and meeting Miriam Nicholls which got me involved in the second Cats Meow Cabaret and meeting a new group of dancers and Artists in town that would then shape the next few years of my life with the start of Dusty Feet Dance Collective in 2009.

 Zumba went crazy for many years and I became known as the "Zumba girl" having taught the equivalent of the entire population of Alice Springs (approx. 26000+) in my classes in the first 2 years alone.  It ignited a passion for fitness and lead to many new adventures and friendships in the coming years. 

In 2014 I auditioned for the role of ZUMBA JAMMER (ZJ) for the international fitness brand of ZUMBA.  I was selected along with 3 other fellow Australians to become a choreographer for the brand and headed off to Singapore to be trained. 

Zumba Routine - Marryuna by Baker Boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcILry3fEV8

I conducted Choreography session fro Instructors all over Australia in the years I worked as a ZJ where I met many inspirational people and came across a lot of different and new fitness programs.



Dusty Feet Dance Collective continued to fill the creative in me during the same time as my Zumba Journey With the Annual production of our show DANCE JAM that created a platform to showcase adult dancers in Alice Springs (Video Link Below) to the running of kids classes and my most favourite Kids Dance project "STRANDED" a 30min dance theatre piece performed by a cast of kids 5 years - 12yrs in the middle of the Desert in Central Australia (Video Link Below)

STRANDED - By Dusty Feet Dance Collective
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFvGGDNzj3U

DANCE JAM - After Dark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRE9TUndKr8&t=267s

There is so much more and so many things I've not mentioned, but I don't want to be too long winded.  So I'll skip ahead to my latest venture and reason for this professional development trip.  My partnership with Kaye Pedersen and the creation of the DESERT DIAMONDS, a corporate performance dance company, has big plans for the future.  We are hoping to connect with international choreographers and build relationships to develop our art in the remote parts of Australia.  We would love our part of the country to become iconic for not only its beautiful landscape and rich Indigenous culture but also as a sought after experience for dancers world wide.

If you feel like you'd like to support my Journey to the USA in June 2018 and participation in the above mentioned workshops and conventions it would mean the world to me.  Anything helps, and it will be given back in new found skills and inspiration upon my return to Alice Springs for many years to come.


Thank you for taking the time to read part of my story, feel free to stalk me on Social media to see other things I've done,  I'm happy to chat further if anyone would like to make contact.

My Social Media is;
FACEBOOK - Sila Crosley
INSTAGRAM - Sila_bdybtz

Yours in dance and dream chasing,
Sila