Photo: Courtesy Donate 2 Dance
Dance-loving sisters Ava and Sophia Paley of New York City both spent a lot of time tapping and pirouetting their way through life since starting lessons at 5 years old. But after spending much of their early childhood years dancing, Ava, now 14, and Sophia, 12, realized they had too much gear they no longer needed (or fit into).
“Our closets were filled with costumes and dance shoes that we had grown out of or were not using anymore,” Sophia tells PEOPLE. “We thought there had to be a better place to put all these items than in our closets collecting dust.” Adds Ava, “We wanted to put these items to better use and send them to dancers not as fortunate as we were.”
After researching the options for dance donations and not finding something close enough to home, they decided to take matters into their own hands. They set up a donation bin in their Upper West Side dance studio,Shuffles NYC, in March 2018 with the goal of collecting gently-worn costumes, dance-wear and dance shoes to donate to dancers in need and dancers with special needs.
They called itDonate2Dance, then sent an email to their Shuffles NYC community urging them for donations. Within a week, the bin was “overflowing,” says Sophia. “We thought, ‘Wow, maybe we are really onto something here.’”
Sophia Paley collecting donations at her studio Shuffles NYC in the Upper West Side.Courtesy Donate 2 Dance
Now, Donate2Dance has eight bins throughout theNew York, New Jersey and Long Island area, as well ascorporate sponsors like LeSportsac and Terezthat donate new items. As of this month, they have collected 1,052 pairs of shoes and 635 costumes.
In turn, Donate2Dance has donated to 36 dance schools in need around the country, including theSan Pedro Boys and Girls Club in California, the place where trailblazing ballerina Misty Copeland honed her skills, andRosie O’Donnell’s Rosie’s Theater Kidsprogram in New York City.
The schools and programs on the receiving end are equally thrilled.
Another was when they found out aboutAyita Wheelchair Dance in Texas, which teaches dance to students in wheelchairs after first learning about the studio fromNBC Nightly News. “We searched them out and sent a gigantic box of tutus, costumes and hair accessories,” says Sophia. “Then they sent us a thank-you video opening the box screaming with joy and excitement. It was such an emotional moment.”
And the sisters are just getting started.
“I want to see Donate2Dance keep growing,” says Sophia, who dreams of having a donation bin at a dance studio in every state. “I’d also like to raise more money to continue to ship donations across the country and see famous performers, like Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Chenoweth or Maddie Ziegler help us spread the word.” (Luckily, they have mom Meredith, who is the Vice President of Public Relations for Talbots, to turn to for expert advice on getting their message to the masses.)
Ava Paley packing up donations to ship at her apartment to ship to three different dance schools in need.Courtesy Donate 2 Dance
Ava, meanwhile, wants to focus on growing their partnerships. “I would love for us to consistently receive donations of new items from established dancewear companies,” she says. “This would mean that we would be able to donate brand new items to dancers in need.”
Ultimately, the sisters simply want to make a difference.
“Every child deserves the chance to dance,” says Ava. “This is all about dancers helping dancers.”
Learn more and find out how to get involved as a volunteer, get a donation bin in your studio or receive donations atdonate2dance.org.
source: people.com
