The Emergency Fund for Student Dancers (EFSD) is a financial loan and resource organization that exists to provide timely support to full-time dance students of its member schools. If students find themselves in a crisis situation where they need financial assistance, they should contact the administrator of their schools. If they need help finding health insurance, doctors and other service professionals, they should consult the EFSD handbook which is available free to all fulltime students.
Member schools currently include: The Ailey School®, Limón Institute, Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, Merce Cunningham Studio, Dance Theatre of Harlem School and the Houston Ballet School.
In 1990 The Emergency Fund for Student Dancers was formed by a consortium of professional dance schools in New York City and since its inception, has been able to assist a number of student dancers with essential funds for housing, medical and other emergencies. EFSD’s handbook for student dancers provides important information on medical, legal, insurance and other services. Other support services include seminars in conjunction with the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries, increasing awareness of dance and urban lifestyle issues amongst the students of the Funds’s member schools. EFSD is always open to suggestions from students about issues they would like EFSD to help address.
Executive Board
Ronald Alexander.
Mary Lisa Burns (President)
Virginie Mecene
Amy Harrison (Secretary)
Alice Helpern (Treasurer)
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Jim Paulson
Melanie Person (Vice President)
Shelly Powers
Laura Raucher (Vice President)
Anne Vachon (Vice President) |
Advisory Board
Nolini Baretto
Mr. Rajiv Basu
Nancy Lou Bright
Ilona Copen
Joan Finkelstein
Denise Jefferson
Marijeanne Liederbach
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Lynn Lesniak Needle
Norton Owen
Dr. Donald Rose
Sharon Williams
Peter Woodin
Deborah Zall
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Besides receiving contributions from foundations and private donors, EFSD raises funds through performances by student dancers, reflecting the Fund’s focus on “students helping students.” These joint school benefit concerts are held once or twice a year in venues such as Marymount Manhattan Theater and studios at member schools. The concerts are often sold out reflecting the extremely high performance and production values onstage, as well as the support of the dance community and the arts audience for the students and the work of EFSD.
At EFSD, we save dreams. See how you can too. |
