Today is the day! Backhausdance's Igniting Potential campaign is live for one day only — September 16th — and I'm reaching out personally because your support means the world to me. I founded Backhausdance 23 years ago with the belief that dance could transform lives — not just for the professional artists on stage, but for every young person who needs a place to move, express, and belong.
Watching that vision come to life through our education programs, season after season, is the greatest privilege of my career. Dance gives young people something that's hard to put into words: confidence, joy, a way of understanding themselves and each other that no other art form quite replicates — and not every child has access to that without programs like ours.
Gifts range from $15 to $100, and every single one brings us closer to our goal of raising $10,000 today. This campaign is intentionally designed to give as many people as possible the chance to participate — because building this community is just as important as the dollars raised.
Donate now at my fundraising page! The campaign closes at midnight tonight — thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for believing in this work alongside me.
Give Youth Access to Dance. Open the Door to Possibility.
Every student deserves the chance to dance and feel inspired, to meet a professional artist who believes in them, and to discover what they are capable of through Backhausdance Education..
Yet for most students, dance is not part of their education.
As schools navigate increasing academic demands, limited resources, and competing priorities, meaningful and equitable opportunities to experience and learn through dance and the arts are more limited than ever.
Backhausdance Education helps bridge that gap.
Since 2003, Backhausdance has brought high-quality artistry and professional contemporary dancers into schools and communities throughout Orange County. Our education programs reach students of all ages and abilities through performances and assemblies, interactive workshops, master classes, multi-session residencies, after-school programs such as Let's Dance, and professional training to our Annual Summer Intensive (BDSI), through the
B. Mor Summer Intensive Scholarship Fund.
Each dance education experience opens a new door:
Assemblies and performances introduce students to the thrill of live contemporary dance and the experience of seeing professional artists perform.
Workshops and master classes invite students to move, create, experiment, and make connections between dance and classroom learning.
Residencies give students the opportunity to work over time with professional dancers—to develop movement and choreography, collaborate, build confidence, and explore where dance might take them.
Scholarships help remove financial barriers for serious teen and emerging dancers pursuing advanced training in our Annual Summer Intensive.
Our professional dancers and teaching artists go above and beyond teaching contemporary dance. They bring the creative process into the learning environment, encouraging students to express ideas, find their voice, work together, take creative risks, and discover new ways of understanding themselves and the world around them.
For many students, a Backhausdance Education performance or program may be their first opportunity to experience professional contemporary dance. That magical moment can awaken the possibilities to learning, curiosity, creativity, belonging, lifelong appreciation, and even a future in the arts.
A recent B. Mor Summer Intensive Scholarship Fund recipient shared:
"Backhausdance provided a safe environment that really helped me to improve my practice. I became more
comfortable being uncomfortable and unfamiliar because of the supportive space cultivated by the faculty."
This is why Backhausdance believes in Dance Every Day for Every Body. We are committed to providing uplifting dance experiences to students regardless of background, ability, or financial circumstances.
A single performance can spark curiosity. A workshop can reveal a hidden talent. A teaching artist can become a mentor. These engaging and transformative encounters can inspire a lifelong appreciation for the arts—or even a future path as a dancer, artist, educator, or creative thinker.
Take the Next Step
With your contribution to Backhausdance Education, we can reach or exceed our goal of $10,000 to sustain and expand these opportunities for youth throughout Orange County to help them thrive with dance!
Whether it is a student's introduction to professional performance, a creative learning experience with a teaching artist, or access to advanced training through scholarships, your much-needed donation helps remove barriers and expand access to dance.
Thanks to a generous matching gift from our Board of Directors, every donation will be doubled—increasing your impact and helping even more young people experience the power of dance.
Together, we can ignite the potential of young people and enrich the health and vibrancy of our communities.
Thank you for helping to bring positive opportunities to our youth in places where it's needed the most - which is everywhere!