Spotlight
At Free 2 Be Me Dance, every dancer has a story worth celebrating.
In this section, we shine a light on the incredible individuals who make our program so
special—from students who’ve grown in confidence, to scholarship recipients reaching
new milestones, to moments of joy shared in our newsletters.
Meet Some of Our Students
Our dancers are the heart of everything we do.
Each student brings their own personality, creativity, and courage to the studio—and we’re
honored to be part of their journey. Whether they’ve been dancing with us for years or just
joined this season, their stories reflect the joy, growth, and confidence that bloom in an inclusive
space.
Get to know some of the incredible dancers who inspire us every day.
MEET NIA!
Nia found F2BMD through Down Syndrome Association, and has been part of the
program since it’s start 16 years ago. Nia enjoys her friends most during class. Her
most memorable moment has been performing at the big stage at CSUN, and watching
the premier of the F2BMD Documentary. Nia’s family believes a large part of her
confidence, happiness, weight control, and showmanship has come from the program.
In her free time, she enjoys all of the arts. Dancing, singing, acting, drawing, painting
playing instruments, and making videos.
MEET MARISOL!
Marisol is a 15 year old dancer, her family found F2BMD through an online search, and
has been with our program since 2022. She likes connecting with friends and
volunteers, being creative on the dance floor. Dance has given Marisol confidence, and
she has only performed in front of an audience through dance class, never at school.
Marisol has started becoming more social and she even joined cheer at school backed
by her dance experience. When she’s not at F2BMD, she enjoys singing.
MEET ALEXIS!
Alexis joined F2BMD at just 5 years old, she’s now 16! She enjoys just about every part
of class, her friends, volunteers, and teachers. Her most memorable part of the program
was performing at SaMoHi and having so much fun she had to be pulled off stage.
Dance has helped Alexis with her listening skills, following directions, and perseverance
to reach her goals. In her free time, she likes spending time with family, camping, and
riding her Sea-Doo!
MEET HELEN!
Helen is 22 and has been dancing at F2BMD dance for 3 years, and found the program
through DSALA. Her favorite part of dance class is Free Dance after Hip Hop, where she
gets the spotlight all to herself. She also greatly enjoys the performance at the 8 Count
Dance recital. Her family feels like she has improved in discipline, teamwork, being
responsible, and her physical wellbeing. Outside of dance, Helen is a photographer and
artist.
MEET MARC!
Marc has been dancing at F2BMD since he was just 7 years old, he will be 21 in
February! His favorite part of dance is having fun with his friends, and his favorite
moment since joining the program was performing at the World Special Olympics in
2015. Marc enjoys basketball, tennis and bowling. He also has earned a black belt in
Aikido, a Japanese martial art. At the time, he was the only person in his class with a
disability, and is the first person with Down Syndrome to achieve it
MEET MONICA!
Monica joined F2BMD at 11 years old, 8 years ago! She has a dual diagnosis, which
means she has autism as well as DS. Dance has helped by exposing her to loud
environments in class, and overcoming her anxiety before and during performances.
Her favorite part of class is being able to dance while spending time with her friends.
When she isn’t dancing, Monica enjoys swimming, playing basketball, and playing with
her dog!
MEET DAYANNA!
Dayanna is a 18 year old dancer and has been at F2BMD dance for 7 years. Her twin
sisters (7yo) started dancing with us this semester! Dayanna enjoys the independence
that dance gives her, as well as spending time with her dance friends. Her mom says
that the program has given her and her daughters emotional support, strength, and
hope. Outside of dance, Dayanna enjoys going to school, making Tik Toks, and playing
with her sisters.
MEET AUBREY!
Aubrey is 17 and joined F2BMD in the Spring of 2023, and found our program through
her best friend. Dance class and performances give her something to look forward to
every Sunday, and a chance to learn valuable skills alongside her friends. Aubrey’s
family says she’s benefitted the most from the patience and kindness of instructors,
and learning how to socialize outside her friend group. Aubrey likes drawing, cheer,
karaoke, zumba, and making Tik Toks.
MEET ARANZA!
Aranza is a 14 year old dancer who joined our program just a month ago. Since then
we’ve seen her confidence and friendships blossom. Dance class to her means a
chance to socialize with peers like herself, more friends, and motivation to get moving.
Her favorite part of class is dancing with the volunteers, our “special friends.” Outside of
dance, Aranza likes to play, go to the park, and listen to music.
Scholarship Spotlights
Dance changes lives—but only if it’s accessible.
At Free 2 Be Me Dance, we proudly offer need-based scholarships so that finances are
never a barrier to belonging. Thanks to generous donors and community partners, over
50% of our students receive full or partial tuition assistance.
Here, we spotlight just a few of the dancers whose lives have been touched by your
support—and who continue to inspire us with their resilience, joy, and love for dance.
Meet Emily Canseco, a 2024 Scholarship Recipient!
Emily found her inspiration for dance through watching her younger brother. His dance teacher welcomed Emily into his class, but her autism made it challenging to keep up with other students. That's when her family discovered Free 2 Be Me Dance last October and applied for scholarship funds. Emily decided to use the money she received on her
16th birthday to fund her first dance classes. We were able to take care of the rest.
Read More
"This program is a blessing." says Emily's mom, Velma. The scholarship donations are
extremely beneficial for her, and make it possible to provide this life changing program
as a single mother raising three children on a low income. For Emily, seeing dance class
on her mom's calendar is something to look forward to, Velma shares, emphasizing how
it has positively impacted Emily's behavior. "I HAVE to go to dancel" Emily expresses.
"It's the highlight of her week," Velma says.
Emily enjoys socializing with others who share her disability. "She participates more in
dance class than she does at school." Velma observes. Free 2 Be Me Dance classes
have boosted her confidence, helped her break out of her shell, and facilitated new
friendships.
Emily's family has witnessed incredible growth in just a few months with the program.
Before class, Emily points to a fellow dancer and says, "That's my best friend!* Velma
finds it remarkable to see Emily engage like that with others, something she hadn't seen
from her before.
Before joining Free 2 Be Me Dance, Emily disliked hugs, but now she welcomes them.
Emily's mom appreciates the opportunity during classes for parents to gather, exchange
knowledge, and offer support. She finds comfort in hearing other parents' stories,
feeling less alone, and even likening it to therapy.
Emily's nutritionist at her children's hospital also appreciates Free 2 Be Me Dance's
impact. Some medications Emily takes for her autism cause weight gain, so the
exercise from dance classes benefits her health.
Emily is one of the newer students experiencing her first full season with Free 2 Be Me
Dance. Spring 2023 marked Emily's debut performance!
"The love they show you comes straight from their hearts," Velma says about people
with special needs, which is one of the many reasons we here at Free 2 Be Me Dance do
what we do.
Keep Supporting Dancers Like Emily!
Your donations go directly towards funding scholarships for dancers like Emily. All
donations are tax deductible.
