ArtSpireVa Dancers ‘Hold On’ at CureFest DC

Even for late September, it was a hot and humid day at CureFest, the annual childhood cancer advocacy event in Washington, DC. The air was thick and the horizon was hazy, but the dancers of ArtSpireVa were ready to go, unfazed by the heat and focused on their mission: performing a special dance to uplift and inspire the crowd, dedicated to their young friend Maddie Davis, a warrior battling cancer herself.

Choreographer Carrie Farson chose a younger dancer as the lead because she resembled their friend Maddie both literally and figuratively. “I wanted to convey the message to Maddie and to all the other children struggling (with cancer) that you can’t give up,” said Carrie. “I thought the lyrics ‘hold on, just one more time, hold on, you know you’ll find a way’ were a perfect fit for this type of situation.”

Dancer Kylie Rapp agreed. “We have been so close with Maddie, and seeing her joy for dance has inspired us to keep dancing for her. We all know how beautiful dance can be and how effective it can be, because we’re showing the people on Capitol Hill what we’re here for through dance.”

ArtSpire dancers have a rich history of showing how effective dance can be. They perform regularly at benefits large and small, wherever they feel they can make a difference. “It’s so important for the dancers to volunteer in this meaningful way and give back through the art of dance and inspire,” said Gennifer Difilippo, ArtSpireVa founder and director. That passion and empathy runs through the entire organization, and it’s likely the dancers get it most of all. As Carrie Farson explained, “As a whole, we want to inspire others through the arts. At CureFest we wanted to send love and support to the childhood cancer campaign and spread awareness for the cause.”

It’s been a busy fall for ArtSpireVa. Gennifer hosted a silent auction and fundraiser in September, the night before the CureFest performance. Through the generosity of many business sponsors, donors, and community members that supported the drive, ArtSpireVa is providing scholarships for more than 50 youth for the 2019-20 school year, its highest number ever. In October, ArtSpireVa performed at the Walk to Bust Cancer event at Fort Hunt Park, and just last week ArtSpire unveiled its upgraded website, www.artspireva.com, designed by webmaster extraordinaire Amy Stoll.

Gennifer is proud of her dancers and thrilled that they stay in touch with Maddie Davis. In fact, Maddie was able to see her friends dance on stage at the Alexandria Community Nutcracker last year as well as the Celebration of the Arts, where they performed their dance for her again. It’s this kind of advocacy, camaraderie, and compassion that makes ArtSpire so special, and it happens to be exactly what Gennifer had in mind when she launched the nonprofit several years ago. Leading by example, Gennifer loves to tell her dancers, “You are helping make a huge difference in this world!”

ArtSpireVa is a multi-faceted nonprofit organization that provides scholarships for youth to experience the fine and performing arts, and inspires, uplifts, and heals those in need through dance performances. Donate at www.artspireva.com.