Hi, I’m Shanna Pratt—Board President of Together We Dance. I’m a financial executive by day, and a full-time dance mom every other waking moment. Whether it’s late nights, early mornings, or jam-packed weekends, I’m knee-deep in rhinestones, hair changes, and balancing spreadsheets between competitions.
After eight years in the world of competitive dance, something in me shifted. I looked around at the girls (our girls) pouring their hearts, sweat, and time into a sport that the world often sees as “just performance,” and I knew they deserved more. More recognition. More support. More community.
Dance may be graceful, but it’s anything but easy. These kids train like athletes. They sacrifice like athletes. And yet, they rarely receive the same resources or respect.
So, for the love of dance—and for the love of these dancers—I said yes. Yes to starting a nonprofit booster club with a small group of passionate parents and instructors. Yes to the paperwork. The meetings. The compliance and chaos. The late-night texts and early morning Google Docs. In November 2024, we launched Together We Dance with nothing but heart, hope, and the belief that this will become something real.
This is for the dancers.
It’s why we started. And it’s why we’re not giving up.
What No One Sees
Before the first fundraiser, before the first snack table at competition, there were hours—dozens—of volunteer admin work.
We had to:
- File federal and state paperwork to become a 501(c)(3)
- Write bylaws
- Build a board and pitch a vision
- Set up a bank account, track every dollar
- Create a nonprofit and fundraising website
- Write countless emails and letters advocating for nonprofit grants for free websites, creative software, and business tools.
- Create structure, policies, and a plan—while balancing jobs, families, and our dancers’ demanding schedules
All of it was unpaid. All of it was unseen. All of it was worth it.
Still in the Thick of It
We’re only a few months in, and it’s been messy and meaningful. We’ve already felt burnout. We’ve had turnover. We’ve had late-night conversations about vision, commitment, and how to keep going when you’re not sure people notice or care.
Parent engagement is still one of our biggest hurdles. We know it’s not because they don’t care—it’s because people are exhausted. Two working parents. Single parents. Families running on fumes. We see you. We are you. But this club needs you, too—even in small ways.
The Small Wins We Hold Onto
We haven’t raised enough yet to pay for competitions or offer scholarships. Not yet. But here’s what we have done:
- Snacks for the whole team at our first big competition
- Senior sweatshirts to honor those who’ve danced their hearts out
- Two successful fundraisers that taught us so much
- A first-ever banquet in the works
Are these small? Maybe. But they’re also huge. They’re steps. They’re ours.
Why This Matters
Because booster clubs change lives. Because extracurriculars make kids better students, better humans. Because dancers deserve the same support and recognition as football players and swimmers and cheerleaders. Because dance is more than performance—it’s pain, power, and discipline. Because most of the time, no one claps for the parents making it all happen in the background. And still—we show up.
Across the U.S., booster clubs raise over $4 billion annually to support student programs. The average club donates over 400 volunteer hours a year. That’s the scale. That’s the impact. (Athletic Business, BoosterClubs.org)
So maybe right now, we’re just a spark. But one day, we’ll be a fire.
To the Parents Watching From the Sidelines
We know you’re busy. We know this feels like someone else’s thing. But what if it’s yours too?
You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to chair a committee or run a fundraiser. If you’ve ever cheered for your dancer until your voice cracked and if you’ve ever driven home from practice wondering how to afford the next costume—you’re already part of this.
We’re not perfect. We’re not polished. But we are passionate.
And Together We Dance is just getting started.
Follow along as we continue to grow, learn, and share our journey. This is more than a booster club. This is a movement—for our dancers, for each other, and for the love of it all.
Leave a Reply