A young dancer walks into the studio for the first time, unsure where to stand. Months later, that same student steps onto a stage before hundreds of people.
An Adaptive Dance participant who may not have found a place in a traditional dance class discovers the joy of moving to music alongside teachers and other students. Another dancer spends months learning and rehearsing, then experiences the excitement of bringing that work to the stage in The Nutcracker or Ballet Chelsea’s annual spring performance.
These are some of the reasons #WhyWeDance. And they are the experiences Ballet Chelsea is asking the community to help make possible.
From September 28 through October 11, Ballet Chelsea will hold its seventh annual Partner With Us fundraising campaign to raise $30,000 to support dance education, performance opportunities, adaptive programming, and community outreach.
Since the campaign began in 2020, 1,250 donors have contributed more than $157,315 while dancers have created 298 individual fundraising pages. This year, dancers and families will again share their personal #WhyWeDance stories, putting faces and experiences behind the campaign.
“Dance education gives students something they can carry far beyond the studio,” said Artistic Director Michelle Quenon. “They learn to accept challenges, develop confidence and become part of a community. Technique matters, but so does who they become through the process.”
Creating a Place for More People to Dance – That belief extends well beyond traditional dance training.
Ballet Chelsea’s Adaptive Dance Program (ADP) creates opportunities for individuals with physical, cognitive, and developmental differences to experience movement, music, and creative expression. Since its founding in 2015, ADP has served participants ages 3 to 93 +, creating a place where more people can experience the connection and joy of dance.
Now, the program is reaching further. Through work with Chelsea Hospital, ADP is expanding beyond developmental and physical differences to include individuals navigating neurological challenges resulting from accidents or injuries. The collaboration shows how Ballet Chelsea continues to find new ways to use movement to create opportunities for participation, connection, and personal growth.
Taking Dance Beyond the Studio – Ballet Chelsea also brings dance directly into the community. Over the past year, the organization shared dance with more than 1,000 community members through outreach performances and events, reaching children, older adults, families, and community members throughout the region.
Through partnerships and outreach with organizations including the Ann Arbor Senior Center, Dexter Senior Center, Grass Lake Senior Center, Chelsea Retirement Community, Silver Maples of Chelsea, North Creek Elementary, Chelsea District Library, and Dexter District Library, Ballet Chelsea is taking dance beyond the studio and meeting people where they are.
These experiences may look different in each setting, but the purpose is the same: to make dance more accessible and create opportunities for movement, creativity, confidence, and connection. Community partnerships, including support from Chelsea State Bank, help make that outreach possible.
For students, community support also creates opportunities to take months of studio work to the stage. This December, Ballet Chelsea dancers will perform in the organization’s 29th annual production of The Nutcracker, alongside the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, experiencing the extraordinary opportunity to dance to Tchaikovsky’s score performed live. From The Nutcracker and the annual spring production to community performances and collaborations, students learn to prepare, persevere, work together, and ultimately share their artistry with an audience.
None of these experiences happen on their own.
They require dedicated teachers, rehearsal space, music, production resources, financial assistance, outreach programs, and community partnerships. They require volunteers who give their time, families who make countless trips to the studio, and audiences who show up to support the dancers.
They also need donors who believe these opportunities are worth making possible.
A gift to Partner With Us helps put a child in a studio where confidence can grow. It helps create a place for an Adaptive Dance participant to move and belong. It helps a student experience the exhilaration of performing with a live orchestra. And it helps bring dance outside Ballet Chelsea’s walls to people throughout the community.
There are many reasons #WhyWeDance. Partner With Us gives someone else the chance to discover theirs.
Ballet Chelsea’s Partner With Us campaign runs September 28 through October 11, 2026, to raise $30,000. To support a dancer or contribute, click on this link.