(Press release from Pointe of Grace Dance Company.)
On Sunday, March 29 many young dancers will be on stage helping to make other children’s dreams come true.
That afternoon and evening, Stittsville’s Pointe of Grace Dance Company will be holding its third annual Dance 4 Wishes Spring Showcase at Sacred Heart High School. Proceeds from the event will support Tysen’s Mission to a Million for Make-A-Wish Eastern Ontario.
Tysen Lefebvre, a young Stittsville resident, is the driving force behind the “Mission to a Million.” He set his goal to raise $1 million for Make-A-Wish Eastern Ontario after his own wish was granted in 2012 when he travelled to California to meet his favourite actor, Adam Sandler. He wanted to help other children have the same positive experience and set out to raise enough money to grant 100 kids their wishes. So far he has raised more than $210,000 and helped grant 22 wishes.
Amanda Leroux and Carly Sherwin, Directors of the Pointe of Grace Dance Company, say they are proud their dancers are helping to raise funds for such an inspirational cause.
“We have been so thrilled to be able to help Tysen meet his goal,” said Leroux. “It means a lot that our dancers are able to do something that has a positive impact on other kids in our community.”
Last year’s Dance 4 Wishes Spring Showcase raised $10,000 for Tysen’s Mission to a Million, which was enough to grant one wish. Last November, members of Pointe of Grace’s Junior Competitive Team were invited to perform at the annual Make-A-Wish gala. Following a heartfelt lyrical performance, they helped present a surprise wish to 10-year-old Emma, who dreamt of going to Disney World.
“It was so special to be a part of presenting Emma’s wish,” said Sherwin. “We were able to meet Emma and be there to see her reaction. It was such a moving experience for all of us.”
Make-A-Wish Eastern Ontario is a non-profit charitable organization that grants wishes to ill children with life-threatening medical conditions. The wishes are one-of-a-kind experiences for the children and their families, and they come at a time when the children need them the most. There are four types of wishes granted by the organization: “I wish to be, I wish to have, I wish to go, and I wish to meet.” The wish experiences help lift the spirits of everyone involved.
Leroux says all of the dancers are looking forward to showcasing their dances for the community on March 29.
“It means so much to our dancers to get up on stage and perform for their families and friends,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for our dancers to get some more experience on stage and at the same time support a really great cause.”Both Tysen and Emma will be there to watch some of the performances and cheer the dancers on.
There are more than 80 dancers from Stittsville, Kanata and other local communities on the Pointe of Grace Competitive Dance Team – boys and girls ranging in age from 7 to 17-years-old. They perform a variety of dance styles including ballet, jazz, hip hop, step dancing, lyrical and musical theatre. The dancers have been practicing for months, spending hundreds of hours in the Pointe of Grace dance studios on Iber Road learning and improving their routines.
The Dance 4 Wishes Spring Showcase features two performances on Sunday, March 29 at Sacred Heart High School, which is located at 5870 Abbott Road in Stittsville. The Junior showcase is at 1:00 p.m. and the Senior showcase is at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 per show or $15 for both performances. Pointe of Grace recreational class dancers can come see a show for $5.
Tickets can be purchased at Pointe of Grace studios at 69 Iber Rd, Unit 103 in Stittsville, or by calling 613-836-0557. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door on March 29.
To read more about Tysen’s Mission to A Million, click here.