Cheers 2 Ten Years: Chance 2 Dance Celebrates Its Largest Showcase Yet
By Lexi Keskeys, C2D NYC
A Milestone Year for Chance 2 Dance
Last Sunday, May 17th, Chance 2 Dance Florida celebrated its Tenth Annual Dance Showcase, Cheers 2 Ten Years, at Edgewater High School. With 110 dancers and 40 volunteers, the 2026 performance marked the organization’s largest show to date and brought together students, families, staff, volunteers, and supporters for an afternoon centered around dance, community, inclusion and accessibility.
With excitement building over the past several weeks in preparation for the big day, the energy of both dancers and audience alike crescendoed as the performances got underway. From start to finish, this joyful celebration reflected the scale of the organization’s work and the community that continues to make our mission possible. It was a day that showcased not only performance, but the dedication, collaboration, and care behind every moment on stage.
The showcase featured performances from dancers of all ages across multiple Chance 2 Dance classes and partner sites, highlighting the growth of the program over the past ten years and raising the bar for the next ten years to come.
Dancers Dazzled Under the Lights
Catch An Angel By The Wings showcased two dancers from the Special Skills Lyrical class performing with ribbons with choreography by Victor Wisehart (pictured above).
Creative Movement dancers performed Time to Dance, choreographed by Angel Stumberg, while dancers from Arbour School took the stage with We Got The Beat, choreographed by Victor Wisehart and Kayla Oberkfell.
Fern Park Developmental Center performed On Top Of The World, choreographed by Kayla Oberkfell, and CECO presented Faith, choreographed by Lauren Hoefer.
A standout number from the afternoon was After All, performed by the Performance Team. The piece was choreographed by Lauren Hoefer, with costumes designed by Amy Lowell and funded through a generous donation from Helpful Hands. This emotional performance served as a reminder of just how much these dancers have grown on and off the stage over the past ten years (pictured below).
Recognizing Members of the C2D Community
In addition to the performances, Chance 2 Dance recognized several individuals and organizations for their contributions throughout the year.
Stephen Moore accepted the Donor of the Year Award on behalf of the Big Nova Family Foundation in recognition of the foundation’s continued support of Chance 2 Dance programming (pictured below with Executive Director and Founder of Chance 2 Dance, Nicole Warren).
This year’s award recipients included:
- Star Dancer of the Year: Ryan Adamczack
- Star Dancer of the Year: Alanna Brito
- Team Member of the Year: Brittany Wisehart
- Volunteer of the Year: Cloey Tractenberg
- Board Member of the Year: Amy Lowell
The showcase also highlighted the fundraising efforts of two young supporters of the organization.
Cora Young received the C2D Young Philanthropist Ambassador Award after raising over $1,000 in support of Chance 2 Dance. Antonia Jordan was recognized as C2D Young Philanthropist of the Year after raising $4,350 for the organization.
Board Member of the Year Amy Lowell poses with Chairperson of the Board Sandra Scott
Team Member of the Year Brittany Wisehart poses with Executive Director and Founder of Chance 2 Dance Nicole Warren
Star Dancers of the Year Alanna Brito (left) and Ryan Adamczack (right) pose with Artistic Director Lauren Hoefer.
Honoring Kirk Reemsnyder
This year’s recital also carried a deeper meaning for the Chance 2 Dance community. One dancer’s presence was deeply missed throughout the showcase: Kirk Reemsnyder, who passed away in March.
Kirk was Founder Nicole Warren’s original inspiration and muse for creating Chance 2 Dance ten years ago. His impact on the organization could be felt throughout Cheers 2 Ten Years, as dancers, families, staff, and longtime supporters reflected on the role he played in shaping the mission of the program from the very beginning.
While this season marked a major milestone for Chance 2 Dance’s Florida location, it also served as a reminder of the people whose spirit continues to guide our organization forward. Kirk’s memory lives on through every class, every performance, and every dancer who takes the stage through Chance 2 Dance.
Looking Ahead
Ten years in, Chance 2 Dance Florida continues to grow both in size and impact. Cheers 2 Ten Years celebrated not only the performances on stage, but also the volunteers, families, donors, teachers, and community members who have helped shape the program over the past decade.
This season was the organization’s strongest yet, with $84,059 raised toward the $100,000 fundraising goal through the support of 151 donors. Chance 2 Dance is incredibly grateful to every individual, family, business, and partner who contributed to this milestone year and helped make the tenth season possible.
There is still time to help us reach our tenth anniversary goal and support future programming through the Ten Year Community Campaign: Chance 2 Dance Ten Year Fundraiser
As the curtain closed on Cheers 2 Ten Years, the recital marked more than just the end of another season. It celebrated ten years of growth, community, and opportunities created through dance. After our biggest performance yet, one thing is clear: the next decade of Chance 2 Dance is already off to a strong start!
Next up … Our Annual New York City Showcase on June 12th, 2026 at 12pm in the College of Staten Island Performing Arts Center! Click here to get your tickets. We can’t wait to dance for you! Cheers!