This season, Snow White belonged in part to Kansas City Ballet School (KCBS). Twenty-six young dancers took the stage as the Dwarves and Butterflies, chosen from nearly 90 who auditioned. For students like Estella Newth and Meila Ashman, it was proof of how far dedication and the right support can take you.

Estella has been dancing since she was three years old, starting with Creative Movement classes at KCBS. Now a Level 4 student in her second year on pointe (and recently accepted to the School’s summer intensive program), she’s come a long way from those first steps.

Playing a Dwarf in Snow White was her favorite role yet. “I was on stage for so long, moving props, really being a big part of it,” she says. “I learned so much I could bring back to class.” Her eyes are set on the future: a role in The Great Gatsby this spring, and someday, a place in a professional dance company.

Her mother, Anna Breedlove (herself a former student dancer with the State Ballet of Missouri), never pushed Estella toward ballet. She didn’t need to. “She just loves it,” Anna says. The scholarship Estella received carried a double meaning for their family: financial relief in a sport where costs add up quickly, and something more personal. “It’s validating. KCBS is saying they want her here. That’s motivating for her, and for me as a parent.”

Meila Ashman has been moving for as long as she can remember. Her mother Alexandria put her in ballet at seven and a half, and it stuck immediately. Now 14 and an Intermediate student, Meila describes dancing as a way of feeling fully present. “When I’m dancing, I feel really connected to my body,” she says. “And I love being on stage because I’m sharing what I’ve learned.”

A recent injury gave Meila a new perspective on performing. Instead of chasing perfection, she focuses on joy, something KCBS has helped cultivate. “It’s a welcoming space,” she says. “It pushes me to grow without making me feel too much pressure.”

When Meila was first offered a scholarship, Alexandria was caught off guard. “I was so proud. Ballet can feel like an exclusive world, and the fact that they recognized her merit brought tears to my eyes.” The financial support matters, but the recognition matters more.

Estella and Meila are two of many students whose talent and dedication have earned them a place at KCBS, and whose families have felt the difference a scholarship makes. Not just in dollars, but in belonging. In encouragement. In the quiet message that someone believes in your child’s future.

That’s what the KCBS scholarship program makes possible. To learn about supporting more students at Kansas City Ballet School, please contact Chief Philanthropy Officer Kristin Castle at 816.585.5585 or kcastle@kcballet.org.

Header image (from left to right): Meila Ashman and Estella Newth in Snow White. Photos by Brett Pruitt & East Market Studios.