Prospective Donor Letter for January 2016
September 1, 2015
Dear Prospective Donor,
I am happy to introduce you to THEY DANCE FOR RAIN, a dance-making project that I have been producing in Nairobi, Kenya since 2011 with fine arts photographer Monika Pizzichemi. As you know, I have a long history of performing, producing and teaching dance and movement to a wide audience in the Berkshires and beyond (including my 10+ years of work with organizations such as Community Access to The Arts). With THEY DANCE FOR RAIN, I bring my passion, skills, gifts and experiences together to serve a population in need and to create moments that are becoming socially and culturally historical.
Monika and I are planning our fifth residency in Nairobi to take place January of 2016. We’ve raised $4000 towards our goal of $12,000. We are reaching out to ask you to consider making a substantial donation to our project and/or help us to find other sources of funding.
THEY DANCE FOR RAIN works with arts-for-social-change organizations to bring Tap shoes, and the art form of Tap Dance to people with an interest and need for this unique type of artistic self-expression. We bring hoops to dance with and teach others the skills of making long-lasting dance hoops. We bring visibility to an otherwise unrepresented population of slum and ghetto dancers and dwellers through photography and film. In this area of the world, Tap Dance is still quite young and the eagerness to learn it is immense. Through this continuing global exchange of artistic dialogue, They Dance For Rain inspires a new generation of Tap Dancers. These dancers will innovate the form through use of their own culturally distinctive ideas and styles.
Since its inception, this project has been made possible with the support of many through crowd-funding sources, in-kind contributions, small grants, individual donors and the investment of our own personal savings. In 2014 we accepted support from the Capezio Balletmakers Foundation and this year we have applied to some new foundations in hopes of receiving funding! We’re ready to take the next step towards making this project more sustainable. We need to work efficiently and secure larger donations from fewer sources and develop lasting relationships with like-minded investors. We are asking for gifts of $2000 and more to secure our next residency.
Our expenses for this upcoming 4-week residency include transport of tap shoes, travel costs, lodging, meals, transport for dancers to workshops and all fees associated with production of this residency. This project is a fiscally sponsored, non-profit venture and requires outside support in order to be achieved. Our fundraising deadline for our next residency is October 24, 2015.
Your contribution and involvement in this project gives us the opportunity to touch lives in a unique and memorable way. In return, we will note you as a prominent donor where applicable and give you one of Monika’s powerful photographic images to own. If you are ready to contribute you can use your credit card or write a check. If using a card, simply go to this link and follow the prompts. http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/profile?id=9160
If writing a check, please make the check payable to our fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas with THEY DANCE FOR RAIN in the memo line and drop it in the mail(Stefanie Weber PO BOX 3094 Pittsfield, MA 01202). Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law and we’ll send you a tax receipt.
You can also help in other ways by donating time and resources, and spreading the word by hosting our fun and informative slideshow presentations.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and support. We look forward to growing this work with you.
Warm regards,
Stefanie Weber
Founder and Action-based Dance Artist
Links to learn more:
https://vimeo.com/album/2424144
https://fertileuniverse.com/they-dance-for-rain
https://www.facebook.com/they.dance.for.rain
New shoes, new moves. Shangilia, January 2015