Last January, Katie Guilott Smith, a dance instructor at Campbell’s Dance Studio, found out her mother had been diagnosed with late, stage-four metastatic breast cancer.
“Travelling back and forth to South Carolina to be with my mother, and discovering the responsibilities and financial burdens that come with the disease, I quickly realized I could not just sit back,” Katie said. “As the only child, and living out here, I could only do so much, and even though her local LDS community was helping out, my mom still needed funds for her medical and travel expenses to the cancer center.”
Combining her philanthropic desires with her ballet career, Katie founded TuTus for TaTas: A Dance Partnered Cancer Foundation to help her mom and other cancer victims. “My intention is to apply as a 501-c3 nonprofit organization, with the mission to help raise funds and awareness to assist families in the financial burden of cancer, and to celebrate life through dance,” Katie stated. “We will work on the principle of pay-it-forward. So, if you know of a family in need, including your own, which could benefit from our organization, please contact me.”
Campbell’s Dance Studio staff and students have joined with TuTus for TaTas for their first cancer fund-raising event, taking place on Saturday, May 11, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Coconut Grove Shopping Center, located on the northeast corner of Lindsay Road and University Drive. Katie hopes to make this an annual event, and organize additional fund-raisers in the future.
Campbell’s Dance Expressions, an award-winning dance troupe, will present two free performances every hour on the hour from 9 a.m. until noon. Campbell’s studio is located in the center, and center retailers also are participating. The event coincides with the dance studio’s registration for the fall 2013-2014 dance class session, and also Summer Dance Camp, which runs from June 24 through July 17. Auditions for Campbell’s Dance Expressions are June 17.
According to Katie, there will be a carnival atmosphere with a bounce house, face-painting, cotton candy and other activities for children, as well as arts and crafts booths, and more.
“Raffle tickets also will be available for $1 each, for donated prizes, such as restaurant gift cards,” said Katie. “But the raffle grand prize is a free week at Campbell’s Summer Dance Camp. Those tickets are $5 each, or five for $20.”
Tickets also will be available for Campbell’s Dance Studio’s June recital, on Friday, June 14, and Saturday, June 15, at Mountain View High School. The Classical Ballet Show is from 2 to 4 p.m., and Campbell’s Dance Expressions Show is from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Katie can be reached at (803) 646-8233, at katieguilottsmith@gmail.com, or www.katieguilottsmith.wix.com/dance. Visit her on Facebook at Katie Guilott Smith or TuTus for TaTas. Call (480) 830-3450 for tickets, or more information about Campbell’s Dance Studio summer and fall dance classes.