The popular TV Show, “Dancing With the Stars” presented the Andréa Rizzo Foundation with VIP tickets to their November 12th live broadcst in Los Angeles., CA. As if that wasn’t enough, they have provided tickets for the Spring Season as well to help with our Dance Across America initiative!

The show understood all the wonderful opportunities that dance therapy can provide to fragile children and wanted to show their support for all that the Foundation is seeking to accomplish.

When the Foundation was awarded the VIP passes this Fall to Dancing with the Stars, we thought of Julie Reed, a patient at MSKCC and the incredible strength this young woman found through dance therapy. The Andréa Rizzo Foundation surprised Julie with a trip to glamorous Hollywood, complete with airfare and hotel accommodations.

Actress (and accomplished painter) Jane Seymour joined the team effort by donating a painting from her “Healing Hearts” collection to the Andréa Rizzo Foundation to raise funds for Julie’s and her mom’s airfare. A silent auction was held at restaurant One Eighty in Newport , Rhode Island and the top bidder was Kevin Dugan of Newport.

Accompanied by Foundation President, Susan Rizzo Vincent and two representatives from the Andréa Rizzo Foundation, Julie and her mother flew to Los Angeles to attend a live broadcast of Dancing with the Stars on Nov. 12, 2007. Treated like celebrities themselves, the women had front row seats right next to the judges table. Julie even had a chance to express her gratitude to the studio audience and also in a special ABC Newscast that aired in both NYC and LA. The trip proved to be a dream come true for Julie. Many generous gifts helped to make this possible due to John Dugan of Newport who donated air miles and The Farmer’s Daughter Hotel who provided accommodations.

As if that wasn’t enough, May, another dancer will be treated to a DREAM TRIP to Dancing With the Stars!

As the Grand Prize for our Dance Across America fundraising initiative, the dancer who raises the most pledges between January 1, 2008 and April 30, 2008 will be awarded 2 VIP tickets to the rehearsal on May 4th or the show on May 5th. (To be determined by Dancing With the Stars.) So many compassionate dancers have supported the foundation in this fundraising effort and now one lucky winner will be accompanied by a parent as a reward for their efforts to help us to help children with cancer and special needs.

With the help of the many generous and caring people at Dancing With the Stars, The Andréa Rizzo Foundation looks forward to making many more dreams come true.