Dancing is a unique art form that can be expressed, shared, loved, and celebrated by many people across the world. It can hold a special place in individuals’ hearts, whether it is expressed competitively or recreationally. From hip-hop to ballet, tap to jazz, dancing brings us all together one way or another, especially during performances. The sparkling rhinestone dresses to the flowing lyrical skirts can be seen from the back row of a theatre, which is why utilizing these costumes is essential to making a dancer feel magical in what they do.
Dance is a widely known women-dominated sport; the continuous spread of this special activity is important to its growth. This is where Dance Fairies comes in, a nonprofit organization founded in June of 2018 by four young women in the Boerne area with a passion for dance. Founder and creator Michelle Koehler is accompanied by co-creators Caley Burgess, and Sydney Scrimpshire, and editor and writer Paulina Pearson who share the same passion for dance.
Dance Fairies strives to give everyone that sprinkle of magic when dancing on stage by assisting in the donations of hundreds of gently used dance costumes. From all ages, sizes and genres, Dance Fairies seeks any type of dance donations that will help another studio when it is their time to shine in performance.
While Dance Fairies frequently works with the San Antonio metroplex area dance studios, it has also extended internationally, to countries such as Nigeria, Ukraine, Ghana, Uganda and Poland thanks to our international coordinator who works countless hours, Mariya Napper. In the past five years, we were able to collect and redistribute over 22,000 costumes and a multitude of dance shoes and attire; we have been able to give to over 4,000 children in various countries around the world.
This globalization happened due to the ambassador program which started a couple of years ago. With the help of social media technologies, Dance Fairies acquired like-minded teenagers and women in countries like Canada, the UK, Singapore and Australia. The link with more information on our ambassador program and how to join can be found on our website here. We currently have 58 ambassadors.
It doesn’t stop there; Dance Fairies is always looking for assistance. Every donation is greatly appreciated and would allow us in getting these costumes to anxiously awaiting dancers. Ways to give monetary donations are through our Venmo, @dance_fairies, Paypal, contact@dancefairies.org, or our Go Fund Me.
Dance Fairies Organization unifies women in a unique way by bringing together those who share a love for dance. It has grown exceptionally in the last five years and will continue to do so in the future. Board members include Larysa Koehler, Darcy Scrimpshire and Renee Burgess.
"Helping others is what truly matters to us, and we endeavor to do more, not only for the children of our community but also for children around the world, especially those in Ukraine today," Koehler said.