Ballroom Dance and Haiti

Like many, my heart has gone out to Haiti. I did a quick Google search of Ballroom Dance and Haiti. What pleased me most as I looked through some of the sites was how Ballroom Professionals were thinking of Ballroom as an art that could provide opportunities for the people of their country. As far as I know, none of my personal friends are in Haiti right now. Many others are. I would be interested in hearing thoughts and ideas of others as to how we as dancers can reach out and perhaps help people in the wake of this disaster as a dance community or simply as people who care.

while my family has already made a personal contribution, I have been thinking about how to be more philanthropic within the ballroom community for quite some time.... as the amount of money we spend does weigh on my conscience...one of the thoughts that I was toying with, but the person to whom I was going to pitch the idea has been under the weather lately, is the idea of offering to sponser a sort of charitable matching funds concept for a comp where I know the organizer...where I might offer to donate say one dollar for every entry the comp has (or less if the projected entries would put that out of my budget) or maybe more for simply every person who attends and dances over a certain number of heats...either picking the charity myself or, if needed as a carrot to the organizer, letting them pick the charity of their choice...

and let me add that any comp organizer interested in this is free to pm me...I was also thinking of starting a webpage where interested dancers who were willing to make a general donation could put money in a communal pot so that this could be done collectively at several comps, proceeds going toward several charities ....dancers interested and able to help with this can also pm me

Fascination, I would like to tag to this. I am, full time, an emergency management coordinator and I know, have experienced and been there - in various locations, in various disasters in all kinds of regions and countries. The arts, recreation, music, child-care - something that takes away, even for a nano second - the devastation and daily impact of a disaster of this magnitude is a blessing. It goes without saying that donating to e.g. the Red Cross in terms of $$ and at the bottom of a check for the Red Cross indicate which disaster you want the $$ to go towards is a more immediate means of getting the assistance directly to the region needs. Also, performing arts gives a sense of returning to "normal" engaging the community at large and has been found to ease the stressors of survival, even in an open field. Faith based organizations, PNP's, NGO (non-government agencies) all play a role. I think your suggestion is wonderful. This is not an advertisement for any one charity or need, however, I am a huge supporter of this idea.

was just thinking how cool it would be if every comp that offers dance dollars would give each dancer the option of turning those in to the charity of the organizers choice at the end of the comp rather than as a rebate for the following year...I have probably got about 800 dollars worth of credit sitting that may get wasted if I don't go to those comps that could instead go to charity ....it would be so easy for each organizer to pick one reputable cuase to sponsor and to track the refunds as they already do and write a check for that amount to the charity...and or for the student to check a box agreeing to pay one extra dollar for each heat they dance to go to that charity......I would love to see someone pick this idea up and run with it...as I said I was going to approach someone but then lfe got in the way and has delayed it...but I do aim to float it past some folks...I would be much more inclined to attend a comp that did this as well

I also have done disaster work. As a dancer interested in the arts I have always been struck at the way renewal of the arts is one of the first signs a country is regaining hope. I would be interested to see if any competitions would carry this through. There could be more creative approaches though. I remember Good Morning America has a food drive where invitees pledged a donation to the greater cause, something small like a dollar when they came to a house party. If a group of dance friends did likewise when they went out to party and the idea went viral money could be raised more quickly in a short period of time. I think there are creative ideas we could pull off. Twitter and Facebook could be tools. Any one else have ideas? Incidentally, when big disasters happen, people tend to give to it and neglect their local charities. American Red Cross will probably be in short supply of blood soon.

I just got a message on Twitter that the the LuLu Lounge in Toronto is donating all the door proceeds for their dance to Haiti. If I were in Toronto I would go.

I am mailing a check to the American Red Cross, designated for Haiti.

I follow the Twitters of some of the top pro's in the country and have noticed that many of them are getting information out on how to help Haiti as well. There are a lot of good people in the world of Ballroom Dancing.

I would alos note that catholic relief services, catholocism being the primary religion in haiti, is already well established and very reliable for folks who are looking for low overhead and rapid utilization

fascination said:

I would alos note that catholic relief services, catholocism being the primary religion in haiti, is already well established and very reliable for folks who are looking for low overhead and rapid utilization

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Just an FYI there is a very easy way to text haiti to 90999 & 10 dollars will be sent to haiti via red cross they just charge your phone bill! I did it yesterday. and fasc i like your idea

DancinDrea19 said:

Just an FYI there is a very easy way to text haiti to 90999 & 10 dollars will be sent to haiti via red cross they just charge your phone bill! I did it yesterday. and fasc i like your idea

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except that current info says that that will take a very long time to process

fascination said:

except that current info says that that will take a very long time to process

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Ohh i have no idea..it was just very quick & easy, hopefully it won't take too long then!

I saw someone on Fb say potentially a three months...not that it won't still be needed by then...it's all good...just something to know

That would be me I heard that on a local DC news radio station last night. I did that but then also donated directly to the Clinton Foundation, given his ties to Haiti and all.