(Photo by Denise Russo Photography)
APTOS — The Fourth Annual Carrie’s Dream Dance Scholarship Showcase and Auction will take place on Sunday, Feb. 11 at the Aptos High School Performing Arts Center, 100 Mariner Way, with two distinct shows at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The Carrie’s Dream Showcases are family-friendly performances featuring more than 150 youth dancers, ages 4 to 21. Each show includes ballet, lyrical, jazz and hip hop pieces performed by students from these participating studios:
• Pacific Arts Complex
• Aptos High School Dance Team
• Agape Dance Academy
• Harbor High’s Escapade
• Dance Connection Palo Alto
• Sammy’s Animation Dance Community
• Truckee Dance Factory
Proceeds from ticket sales and live and silent auctions will support Carrie’s Dream, which was created in memory of dance studio owner and teacher Carrie Dianda McCoid. McCoid had a dream that all students who wanted to dance would be given that opportunity, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Carrie’s Dream has raised more than $88,000 for local youth dance scholarships over the past three years.
“When reading the scholarship applications, you quickly learn that dance means everything to these kids and it changes their lives in a profound way,” said Ashley Tapley, one of the event organizers.
A student applicant wrote, “Dance is something I can’t live without, it’s kind of like how we need air to survive, but I need dance.”
After existing as a project of the Pacific Arts Complex for several years, Carrie’s Dream has been incorporated as a separate entity and is in the process of obtaining tax exempt status. This project 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. Scholarship applications will be available in May.
Tickets are $20 each in advance or $23 at the door. For tickets and information, visit www.CarriesDream.org.
