VIDEO: Misty Copeland Leads SWANS FOR RELIEF Video to Raise Funds For Ballet Dancers

American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Misty Copeland and former colleague, "Ballet's Golden Boy" Joseph Phillips, have joined forces with The Entertainment Industry Foundation, with seed funding provided by K Period Media, to launch Swans for Relief, a virtual ballet event to raise needed funds to help ballet dancers around the world maintain their living expenses through this challenging and uncertain time. Ballet companies are largely dependent on revenue from performances to pay their dancers and fund their operations. With rehearsals and performances cancelled globally, many dancers are unable to depend on paychecks and face the hardship of paying rent and buying food and other necessities.

Swans for Relief unites 32 ballerinas representing 22 companies from 14 countries, including the U.S., China, Russia, Denmark, France, Cuba, Australia, Norway, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa, Austria, England, and Canada. Dancers will perform the iconic variation from The Dying Swan, Le Cyne (The Swan), accompanied by world-renowned cellist Wade Davis.

Watch the video!

Supporters may donate at https://charity.gofundme.com/SwansForRelief. Fundraising for Swans for Relief will be administered by EIF, a Charity Navigator, 4-star charity that meets all 20 BBB charity standards. All proceeds will be distributed to the relief funds of each of the artists' respective companies, or other arts/dance-based relief funds in the event that a company is not set up to receive donations.

Performers:

• Stella Abrera, American Ballet Theatre, USA
• Precious Adams, English National Ballet, England
• Nathalia Arja, Miami City Ballet, USA
• Isabella Boylston, American Ballet Theatre, USA
• Skylar Brandt, American Ballet Theatre, USA
• Misty Copeland, American Ballet Theatre, USA
• Monike Cristina, Joburg Ballet, South Africa
• Ashley Ellis, Boston Ballet, USA
• Greta Elizondo, Nacional de Danza Mexico, Mexico
• Nikisha Fogo, Vienna State Ballet, Austria
• Angelica Generosa, Pacific Northwest Ballet, USA
• Sarah Hay, Freelance Ballerina, USA
• Francesca Hayward, The Royal Ballet, England
• Robyn Hendricks, The Australian Ballet, Australia
• Whitney Jensen, The Norwegian National Ballet, Norway
• Yuriko Kajiya, Houston Ballet, USA
• Maria Khoreva, Mariinsky Theatre, Russia
• Ako Kondo, The Australian Ballet, Australia
• Misa Kuranaga, San Francisco Ballet, USA
• Stephanie Kurlow, Freelance Ballerina (First Hijabi Ballerina), Australia
• Sara Mearns, New York City Ballet, USA
• Ginett Moncho, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Cuba
• Katherine Ochoa, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Cuba
• Hannah O'Neill, Paris Opera Ballet, France
• Denise Parungao, Ballet Philippines, Philippines
• Tiler Peck, New York City Ballet, USA
• Tina Pereira, The National Ballet of Canada, Canada
• Ida Praetorius, The Royal Danish Ballet, Denmark
• Jemima Reyes, Ballet Philippines, Philippines
• Ingrid Silva, Dance Theatre of Harlem, USA
• Bianca Teixeira, San Francisco Ballet, USA
• Xu Yan, The National Ballet of China, China
• Le Cygne with music by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by cellist Wade Davis (USA)