#dancersvscancer

When we partnered with our friend Lisa Millar from the Brad Kaminsky Foundation, we had no idea that the Dancers vs. Cancer/iDance4aCure campaign would have such a big impact. Over the past year and half this collaboration has really taken off.

This photo features 11-year-old cancer survivor Kristen Sorrell (on left) & 10-year-old advocate Sydney Sumner from the Cumming Dance Academy based in Cumming, Georgia.

Exactly one week before we took this photo these dancers and their friends had to say goodbye to their dear friend Sydney Ridings. Sydney died from osteosarcoma after a 3 1/2 year battle.

Sydney was planning to be a part of this photo shoot but had unexpected complications related to her treatment. This resulted in her death at age 14. Sydney had danced at the Cumming Dance Academy since it opened 11 years ago. Her sudden passing was a shock to everyone who knew her. 

During our trip to the Atlanta area we worked with 8 dancers at CDA. These girls are very committed to making a difference in memory of their friend Sydney and in honor of their friend Kristen. We will post additional photos in the coming days.

Dancers Claire Shur, Molly Burke, Lilia Drew and Samantha Stevenson take a stand for all children fighting cancer! Claire and Molly dance at Studio Bleu Dancer Center and Lilia and Samantha dance at Ashburn Academy of Dance.

The iDance4aCURE National Campaign kicked off in October...the ultimate goal is 100 Studios and $1,000,000 for childhood cancer research.

Please go to www.idance4acure.org or contact Lisa at [email protected] for more details on how you can get your dance studio involved.

How many people can say they’ve truly lived out their fantasy? And of those, how many by age 11?

A Tribute to Erin Griffin - CureFest 2014 featuring Brianna Kelley and Studio Bleu

14-year-old Erin Griffin from Australia died on September 1, 2014 from DIPG brain cancer. Her long-distance friend Bri Kelley and her friends at Studio Bleu dedicated this dance to Erin and performed it live at CureFest 2014 on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Special thanks to Studio Bleu Dance Center, Choreographer Glo Hampton and costume designer Bahar Carmichael.

Today we honor 9-year-old Katie Vaughan, gymnastics state championships medalist and childhood cancer survivor. Just a few months before her third birthday Katie was diagnosed with Stage IV Burkitt's Lymphoma. Her prognosis was poor but Katie beat the odds and has passed the 5-year cancer-free milestone. This does not mean the end of the fight for Katie and her family. They have become leading childhood cancer advocates and we are honored to be a part of their team. Also the Vaughans are featured is the Emmy Award-winning "The Truth 365" documentary and short films.