Ballet Without Borders is an Australian organisation that helps support children from underprivileged and low socioeconomic backgrounds to experience the joy of ballet. The idea behind this initiative started when as an adult dancer I realised how expensive ballet was. The pointe shoes ($100 a pair), the classes, the private coaching, warm up pants and foam rollers. As a child migrating from Ukraine, we did not have that kind of money, and little support from my mother who as a sole parent could neither afford nor have the time required to see whether ballet was something for me. In my homeland, socio-economic status didn’t exclude dancers (it’s no wonder Russia produces so many of the most talented dancers – because they invest in it). So for many this was a way out of poverty and low self-esteem. After some research into ballet education and extra curricular activities of children, it became clear that this sport was reserved for the upper-middle classes in Australia. Lets make a change.
