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Long story short, I’m raising money to buy a freestanding Chinese pole so that I can kickstart my circus career! Having a freestanding pole will allow me to train, teach, and perform anywhere that has a bit of ceiling height. I don’t want to pull your heart strings and try to convince you to donate money to me by writing a long story about the struggles I’ve had and the determination that got me through them (but if you want to hear more about that, I’m happy to share!). That doesn’t feel genuine to me. If you’ve followed my circus adventures and my posts give you joy and you feel compelled to support my journey and want to help me spread the joy of circus, I will be eternally grateful and appreciative for any and all contributions.
Having my own pole will allow me the opportunity to take corporate gigs and market myself to companies that might love to have a pole act in their show, but don’t have the budget to buy one. Rigging a Chinese pole can be complicated and sometimes people would love to hire you except that rigging would pose a huge challenge in their venue. With a totally self sufficient freestanding pole, rigging isn’t an obstacle.
It’s hard to ask for money and it’s particularly hard when there are so many problems in the world today worthy of your contributions. I think circus does have a lot of value that should not be discounted, but I know it’s a tough sell compared to saving orangutans’ environment or preventing oil companies from destroying sacred native lands. Circus arts spread joy and provide an escape from the harder aspects of life. It also offers a warm, welcoming community of folks who support each other. An amazing family from my circus school with a 7 and 10 year-old drove all the way from Connecticut to DC just to see me perform my character part in a short 25 min holiday show. The world needs more warmth and love like that. Circus allows students and artists many opportunities to gain confidence and surprise themselves with their new super power abilities. It allows a means to create, express, and share. Kurt Vonnegut said, “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”
Anything you can donate helps support me, my dreams, and a more vibrant circus community. All the money will go directly toward getting a pole. The pole itself is $1,908 and the freestanding base, so that I can rig it anywhere, is $3,533. It costs $387 to ship, $80 shipping insurance, and $147 credit card fee. Thank you so much for your generosity. I’ll keep you updated about my circus journey, and hope there’s an opportunity for you to see me in action soon!
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