As the leaves start to turn and the temperature starts to slowly reveal the arrival of a beautiful fall season we are taking a moment to look back at the summer of 2021 which brought two amazing scholarship students to Villapiana, Italy to study dance during a 4 week FINI Dance summer intensive.
Year 2021 came with many challenges but, fortunately, that didn’t prevent us from holding a masterclass/scholarship audition with Antonio Fini during which two dancers, Ava Lanzass and Kari Sescoura, were selected to attend the summer intensive on scholarships provided by WFDF amazing Scholarship Partners. We are so fortunate and so very grateful to work closely with the Dancing Angels Foundation, FINI Dance and the Holding Family Dancers Funds to provide opportunities for dancers like Ava and Kari to travel abroad and get a phenomenal opportunity to experience a different culture and study dance with some of the most celebrated artists and dance educators in the world of dance, all in the unforgettable setting of beautiful Italy.
“Attending the Fini Dance Intensive in Italy this summer was the most amazing experience of my life. I was immersed and exposed to so many different styles of dance and was surrounded by people who are so dedicated and passionate about dance. The teachers were so knowledgeable and motivating, which allowed me to grow as a dancer and learn so much. However, this month abroad not only helped me grow as a dancer, I grew as a person by being introduced to the Italian culture and living in the beautiful town of Villapiana. This was the trip of a lifetime and an unforgettable experience.”
Ava Lanzas
“The month I spent in Villapiana was easily the best time of my life. I learned so many new things about Italian Culture. Along with different styles of dance, including Arial and Albanian dance. I saw so much improvement in my dancing though such a short amount of time, I built strength mentally and physically. We would dance 7-9 hours on weekdays, and on the weekends, if there was no showing, we would be able to enjoy the small town. Over the four weeks I was being pushed to my limit in the best way possible, I accomplished things I would have never dreamed of. I am so incredibly thankful to all of the organizations and people who made this possible for me.”
Kari Sescoura
Summer intensives like this often serve as stepping stones in the pursuit of dance as a career as they open up new doors, provide unexpected opportunities and allow such rising dancers to delve deeper into their dance training and WFDF is beyond thrilled to be a part of this discovery process. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these passionate and driven young ladies.
Ava and Kari, we wish you both all the best as you continue to pursue your goals and dreams!
