This is one beautiful tribute to how hearts can touch hearts through dance and create beauty in the lives of children with cancer. It is a wonderful example of how The Andr�a Rizzo Foundation works together with dancers and dance/movement therapists  to bring the gift of dance therapy to children with cancer and special needs:

A magical relationship began at Rhee Gold's DanceLife Conference in 2009 when The Andr�a Rizzo Foundation's President, Susan Rizzo Vincent, was the keynote speaker.  Kacy Voskuil and Emily Edwards of St. Louis Academy of Dance in St. Louis, MO were in attendance and both were inspired by Susan and the Dr�a's Dream pediatric dance therapy program funded by The Andr�a Rizzo Foundation and knew that they wanted to find a way to bring it to St. Louis. 

When they returned home from the conference, they were contacted by a family who had a 3-year-old neighbor diagnosed with neuroblastoma (a rare childhood cancer of the sympathetic nervous system). This little girl's name was Ariel Dougan.  All Ari wanted to do was dance, but unfortunately her medical treatments prohibited her from participating in a dance class at the studio.  So, Kacy and Emily brought dance to her!  Every Wednesday they would visit Ari in the hospital or at home and give her a dance class that met her needs that day.  Ari is still battling cancer today, but attends regular classes at St. Louis Academy of Dance and will be performing in the Dr�a's Dream Gala produced by Pazazz Performers on March 7th! 

Kacy and Emily immediately saw the incredible impact that dance had on Ari through her treatment so they contacted The Andr�a Rizzo Foundation for help in funding a dance therapy program at the hospital where Ari was receiving treatments.  This led them to create the Drea's Dream Gala that would raise funds for Ari and many other children in St. Louis to benefit from this life changing therapy.  Their first Gala was held in December 2010.  The Pazazz Performers (dancers ranging in ages from 12-18), who are in residence at St. Louis Academy of Dance, put on an entire evening of dance alongside professional dance companies from the St. Louis area! 

All this time behind the scenes, Susan Rizzo Vincent initiated many discussions with the administrators at the hospital where Ari was being treated to see if they would accept a grant to begin Dr�a's Dream.  After a year of negotiations and red tape it was clear that the foundation needed to find another hospital that was receptive.  With the help of dance/movement therapist, Becky Brittain, Dr�a's Dream was welcomed at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center. Susan Rizzo Vincent contacted Kacy and Emily to let them know of the situation. She worried that they'd be disappointed in the change of hospital ... but, guess what? Ari had just been transferred to SSM Cardinal Glennon!  So, it was meant to be.  With the funds raised by The Pazazz Performers at the Drea's Dream Gala, the foundation was able to fund Becky's once a month sessions at the hospital.

As of January 2015, due to many fundraising events such as dance-a-thons and annual galas held by the Pazazz Performers, the foundation now funds Dr�a's Dream once a week with the foundation's newest dance therapist, Katie Bohn. This is a wonderful expansion and The Andr�a Rizzo Foundation could not be more excited!  One hundred percent of the funds donated to the foundation by the Pazazz Performers will continue to help Dr�a's Dream grow at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center.

Both Katie Bohn and Becky Brittain have given countless hours educating hospital staff about the benefits of dance/movement therapy as well as holding inspiring sessions with the Pazazz Performers, sharing their experiences at the hospital and the impact of Dr�a's Dream on the patients that they work with.

Now in its FIFTH year, the Pazazz Performers' Drea's Dream Gala will be held March 7, 2015 and it is going to be the biggest and best yet!

But... there's a bit more to this story.

A few years after Dr�a's Dream was instituted at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center, Susan Rizzo Vincent was in NYC at the 10 Year Anniversary Celebration of the Dr�a's Dream program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  A mother and child approached her.  It was Ari (Kacy's and Emily's student) and her mom.  They had come from St. Louis to MSKCC THAT DAY for an exam.  There were Dr�a's Dream banners, T-shirts, cupcakes, and goodie bags all over the enormous playroom and Ari's mom was happily surprised to see that Dr�a's Dream was helping children all over the country. 

As you can see, there is a magical connection between The Andr�a Rizzo Foundation, Pazazz Performers ... and of course Ari.  She has been an inspiration to everyone.  The passion for dance that dancers possess keeps Dr�a's Dream alive and makes children's lives brighter - children like Ari!