$35,000 Raised for Local Dance Scholarships!

The second annual Carrie’s Dream Dance Showcase Fundraiser was full of grace, excitement and incredible technique. Over one hundred and fifty dancers from five dance studios (Agape Dance Academy, Carmel Academy of Performing Arts, Elaine’s Dance Studio, Pacific Arts Complex, and Sammy’s Animation Dance Community), a Carrie Alumni and soloist Alex Beaudoin who now dances at UCLA, and the Aptos High School Dance Team danced their hearts out for two packed shows on Sunday, February 21st. The dance showcase events were an artistic and financial success attended by nearly 800 happy ticket holders.

Three-year-old Maryella — the late Steps Dance Studio Owner Carrie Dianda McCoid’s daughter — stole the show by dancing and waiving to the crowd. McCoid’s mother Carolyn Dianda and sister Gina Dianda Bahten spoke about how thankful they are that Carrie had not been forgotten and how they were touched that the community has created such a beautiful tribute to Carrie and her dream. Many in attendance knew Carrie personally, so this show is a really big deal to see it become such a meaningful and important legacy in our community.

Countless local businesses and individuals donated and collaborated to make this year’s event a huge success, surpassing last year’s 23,500 total. Many of the dollars raised were through auctioning items donated by local families and businesses. The crowd opened up their hearts and their wallets and over $35,000 was raised! This is expected to cover almost all of the scholarships at Pacific Arts Complex “PAC” for the 2016-2017 dance season. Carrie’s Dream Scholarship Applications will be accepted at PAC during the month of May. For more information visit: www.CarriesDream.org

Carrie’s Dream announced the total funds raised through a creative dance video featuring dozens of PAC dancers showing off their jazz and hip-hop skills. It practically blew up the Internet. The video can be seen at www.carriesdream.org or on the Carrie’s Dream Facebook page.

It is the goal of Carrie’s Dream to cover all the scholarships at PAC and to additional dollars for dance in Santa Cruz County. Also, over $1,200 was raised for the Aptos High School Dance Team and five hundred dollars in scholarship funds were awarded to each of the participating dance studios.

Ashley Tapley, one of the event organizers says, “Carrie’s Dream plans to expand the number of dance studios and dance teams that participate in this community fundraising event next year. As we grow, we hope to increase scholarship funds raised for dancers throughout our community.”

The Carrie’s Dream Scholarship Fund is a project of Pacific Arts Complex. PAC has two studio locations, one in Santa Cruz and one in Watsonville that serve an incredibly diverse group of students in our community. Classes taught include everything from ballet to videography.

Carrie’s Dream is not a nonprofit but was created to expand and provide dance scholarships for students in the Santa Cruz County community who otherwise would not have the opportunity and resources to dance.

Carrie’s dream is greatly appreciates the financial support for the following businesses who make all this possible: The Barre Studio Capitola • Contractor Advertising • Mike O’ Boy of Sereno Group • Midtown Café • Denise Russo Photography • Paper & Ink • Poco Solar Energy Inc. • Viscaria Dancewear • David Rocco DeTeso of Wells Fargo Mortgage.

The Carrie’s Dream Scholarship Fund Project was founded in 2014 as a tribute to Carrie Dianda McCoid. Carrie had a dream that all the students in our community who wanted to dance would be given that opportunity, regardless of their financial circumstances.

Dancing requires teamwork, leadership, dedication, physical and mental training as well as passion and perseverance; all valuable skills that help our youth on the path to success in life. Carrie’s Dream scholarships will give these students the opportunity to learn such skills.