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Ballet Rising Foundation

@balletrising

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by @caseyhphoto & @laurosillo
Making ballet more accessible in the most unlikely places. ✨

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From the favelas of Rio to the stages of Amsterdam — and now to Nashville Ballet.

Today we share our final update on Daniel Mendonça’s incredible journey.

Thanks to the generosity of so many of you, Daniel was able to complete his training at the Dutch National Ballet Academy and has now begun his professional career as a Company Artist with Nashville Ballet.

This chapter is complete, and we could not be prouder. Read the full story, the financial report, and our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made it possible: LINK IN BIO 🌐

Thank you for believing in this dream with us.

❤️#FromFavelaToStage #BalletRising #DanielMendonça #Ballet #Arts #Dance #Dancer #nashvilleballet #dancer #artist #Success #fundraiser #nonprofit #missionaccomplished #wedidit #brazil #Amsterdam #successstory #welldone #congratulation #theater by @balletrising

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Ballet Rising is a community development organization dedicated to making ballet more accessible in the most unlikely places. We address a lack of connectivity at the edges of the global ballet community with the aim of expanding opportunities and collaboration through Financial Support, Networking, and Awareness.

Ballet Rising goes beyond nurturing dancers and talent discovery. We promote ballet's wide-ranging benefits for all, contributing to a positive impact on society.

We have already provided classes in India, Mexico and Dominical Republic, supported schools in Nigeria, produced a movie in Brazil and helped a dancer from Syria to study in Europe.

Want to learn more about our journey? Have a look at our website:

🔗 https://balletrising.com

#ballet #diversity #balletrising #esperanca #dancing by @balletrising

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3 years ago

🎉 BIG NEWS from Ballet Rising! 🎉

Thanks to YOUR support, we’ve reached a historic milestone—Daniel Mendonça is heading to the Dutch National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam for a full year! 🇧🇷✈️🇳🇱
From crowdfunding to workshops and a generous grant from Stichting Vrederijk, you helped cover his living expenses, visa, travel & more. 🙌

Daniel just swept top prizes at Brazil’s Passo de Arte Grand Prix, shining among 3,000 dancers from across South America. His journey is only beginning—and YOU made it possible. 🌟

Special thanks go to Melvin Keijzer, The Boardroom Amsterdam, Daniela Bertolli, Anna Ol, Zhembrovskyy Ballet Dance and Fitness, Global Dance Open, and Stichting Vrederijkfor their generous contributions, alongside every supporter who donated or joined our workshops. 💖

As a young organization run by Laura and me on our own time, Ballet Rising is fueled by passion and a commitment to change. This summer, we’re taking time off to welcome the newest member of the Ballet Rising team—our daughter, Cala, due August 7th. This personal milestone fills us with joy, but it also underscores the importance of your support. As we balance family and our mission, your continued donations are critical to sustain our operations and drive bold projects, like an upcoming initiative in India that will bring ballet to new communities. 🌍

We’re bursting with excitement for what’s next! Join us to make ballet a global force—donate today to fuel Daniel’s journey and ignite projects like our India initiative. Together, we’ll take Ballet Rising’s mission to new heights. 🤍🤍🤍
#BalletRising #FutureofBallet #YoungTalent #dutchnationalballetacademy #Amsterdam #Balletscolarship #Brazil by @balletrising

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At Ballet Rising, we are extremely proud to have made Daniel Mendonça’s dream come true: studying at the Dutch National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam.
We wish him an academic year full of learning, personal and artistic growth, new friendships, and experiences that will shape his path as a dancer.
May this be only the beginning of a brilliant and inspiring career. 🌟

Group photo from the 25/26 academic @denationaleballetacademie

📷 by @sjoerdderine by @balletrising

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It’s great to see @_ddanielmd enjoying Amsterdam and putting his move on display!

Thanks again @brunodarochapereira for the vid!

#balletrising #balletlife #dance #amsterdam #fromfavelatostage #artist #streetdancer #brazil #culture #dancer taken in Dam Square, Amsterdam by @balletrising

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At long last @_ddanielmd has arrived in Amsterdam ready dance! 🕺🇳🇱

Thank you again to everyone who has made this happen! Special thanks to @bertolli_daniela 🤩for her tireless efforts assisting with visas, housing, fundraising, and coordinating between Brazil and Europe. Also thank you so much to my man @brunodarochapereira 🇧🇷😎 for helping Daniel settling into his new life in the Netherlands.

We will keep you posted on Daniel’s progress but for now we wish him well and hope his adjustment goes smooth! 🙏

#balletrising #dance #brazil #amsterdam #fromfavelatostage #dancer #dancerslife #netherlands #nationalballetacademy #balletbrazil #braziltoeurope #danieldance #arts #culture #artist #studyabroad #balletpassion by @balletrising

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a year ago

🌟 Halfway There! Let’s Keep Going for Daniel Mendonça! 🌟

Thanks to your incredible generosity, we’ve reached 50% of our fundraising goal for Daniel Mendonça! 🙌✨ Daniel, a talented 15-year-old dancer from the Rocinha favela in Rio, has been offered a scholarship at the Dutch National Ballet Academy, and your support is bringing his dream to life.

We have been working tirelessly—organizing workshops, photoshoots, creating podcasts, hosting interviews, and putting together a major event like Ballet Close Up—all to help raise the funds needed to get Daniel to Amsterdam. Every step has been a labor of love, and we couldn’t have done it without this incredible community!

A HUGE thank you to those who have contributed to this journey:

💙 @zhembrovskyyballetdancefitness
💙 @drobertsilva
💙 @victorcaixetaofficial
💙 @melv_k
💙 @theboardroomamsterdam
💙 @globaldanceopen
💙 @davi1ramos
💙 @alyssoon_rocha
💙 @carlakorbes
💙 @jonathanbatistaofficial
💙 @anna.ol_ballerina
💙 @bertolli_daniela
💙 @ninatonoli.photography
💙 @semhasacamera
💙 @denationaleballetacademie
💙 @sinaida.tamerlanovna

Your kindness is changing lives, but we’re not done yet! Let’s keep pushing forward together. Every donation, share, and act of support makes a difference.
📢 Donate now & be part of this inspiring journey! Link on bio 💫 #FromFavelaToStage #ballet #scholarship #Amsterdam #DutchNationalBalletAcademy #dreamscomestrue #balletlife by @balletrising

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2 years ago

Ballet Close Up: A Day to Remember

On November 30th, we hosted Ballet Close Up, a special fundraising event to support Daniel Mendonça’s dream of studying at the Dutch National Ballet Academy.

This behind-the-scenes experience brought together ballet enthusiasts for an unforgettable day filled with performances, classes, and an exciting auction, raising €5,318 to support Daniel Mendonça’s journey to the Dutch National Ballet Academy and Ballet Rising’s mission.

A Special Thank You to:
💫 @denationaleballetacademie for facilitating their facilities
🎥 @semhasacamera for creating an amazing video capturing the event
🩰 @zhembrovskyyballetdancefitness for helping promoute the event.
🤝 Marktlink Capital Management for being our corporate sponsor
❤️ @anna.ol_ballerina @bertolli_daniela , all the dancers, and all the volunteers who made this day possible

Event Highlights
✅ 42 attendees
🌍 8 attendees traveled internationally from Spain, Switzerland, Germany, and France
📈 Website activity increased by 42%
📢 Social media reach grew by 50%

We couldn’t have done it without your support! 🎉
#balletrising #fromfavelatostage #balletcloseup #ballet #fundraiser #danielmendonça #dutchnationalballet #ballettalent by @balletrising

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2 years ago

Happy 2025!
A few words from our Daniel Mendonça to start the year...
#ballet #balletworld #balletrising #ballettlovers by @balletrising

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Ballet Rising wishes you a Merry Christmas! 🎄✨ May your holidays be filled with joy, love, and inspiration. Here’s to a season of beauty and a bright year ahead! #MerryChristmas #BalletRising” by @balletrising

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🎉✨ This Week, We Celebrate! ✨🎉

Join us in wishing a very happy birthday to three incredible individuals who make Ballet Rising what it is:

🎂 @caseyhphoto – Our visionary founder
🎂 @laurosillo – Our amazing co-founder
🎂 @lorezonderman – Our wonderful collaborator

💖 Thank you, Casey, Laura, and Lore, for your incredible contributions to Ballet Rising. 🎭✨

Drop your birthday wishes for them below! 🎉👇

#HappyBirthday #BalletRising #Celebration #Gratitude #DreamTeam #MakingADifference by @balletrising

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What an incredible day it was! 🌟

The love, dedication, and passion from our guests, combined with the artistry of our dancers, made this event truly unforgettable. And all for a great cause! 💕

Swipe through the gallery to relive these beautiful moments, captured so perfectly by @ninatonoli.photography ❤️🫶

This event wasn’t just about ballet—it was about coming together to make a difference. Through the power of art, we united to support a cause close to our hearts, showing that movement and expression can inspire change.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who danced, donated, and supported. You are the true stars of this day! ✨

Here’s to many more moments like this—where passion meets purpose. Keep dancing, keep dreaming, and keep making a difference. 🌸

#balletcloseup #balletrising #celebratethearts #fundraising taken in Nationale Ballet Academie by @balletrising

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