2023 Variety Heart Scholarship recipient, Angel, wrote a beautiful letter to Variety sharing her thanks for her scholarship and her dreams of being a dancing doctor!
My name is Angel. I am part Filipino and part Australian. I am in Year 4 at school and have a wide, fabulous circle of friends. Many of them are dancers just like me and we often make up our own choreography and dance together for school events.
My biggest love is dancing, and I usually have lessons three nights a week for up to eight hours. I have tried lots of different styles of dance – Tap, Hip Hop, Jazz, lyrical, Acro and Classical Ballet.
I love making up my own dances to all kinds of music. I am always doing cartwheels and dance moves in front of the TV, waiting to show my Nan my latest choreography.
I live with my Nan and Pop. I have been living with them since I was a little baby. I have been going to dance lessons since I was three. I was always dancing around the house all the time and my Nan told me she used to do the same, so she enrolled me in ballet classes.
Ballet is my most special dance and I think that is because my great grandmother was in the Australian Ballet. I have been lucky enough to really feel it when I dance, and have her talent handed down to me.
My Nan and Pop are on the pension and really old and it was getting very difficult to keep doing all of my dance classes. We nearly had to cut them down until a lady told us about the Variety Heart Scholarship which has enabled me to keep dancing.
Dancing is my happy place. I couldn’t imagine not being able to dance. I am at a new ballet school which is fabulous, and my teacher has let me help with the younger students.
I would love to go to university and learn to be a doctor but of course I would keep dancing as it makes me feel wonderful.
Who knows, you may come and see me dancing for you in the Australian Ballet Company one day.
My family and I can’t thank Variety enough for giving me the opportunity to keep dancing. It has opened up the possibility for me to do dance workshops that I had only ever dreamed about.
Thank you again with all my heart,
Angel xx
Looking for assistance?
Variety believes all kids deserve a fair go. We help kids 0 – 18 years of age who are living with sickness, disadvantage or have special needs.