A group of dancers and supporters posed together beneath a pink and silver balloon arch holding a Dancers Against Cancer signA smiling woman in a wheelchair holding a sign that reads hashtag I'm a Dancer Against CancerA group of young dancers in pink and black costumes holding an oversized donation check made out to Dancers Against CancerTwo young dancers in black leotards and pink skirts posing on a red carpet in front of a Dancers Against Cancer backdropTwo people in formal evening wear posed together in front of a blue step-and-repeat backdrop
Ascendance Studio CompanyIn Support of Dancers Against Cancer

Ascendance Studio Company's Night of Hope Benefit Gala

One night of dance. A community of hope.

The gala is here — thank you for your support!

Saturday, May 30, 20266:30 PMRonald W. Reagan Doral Senior High School
Making a Difference

Beyond the Stage

Dancers and supporters gathered together at a Dancer Against Cancer community event
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Ascendance Studio is Proud to Partner with Dancers Against Cancer

At Ascendance Studio, we desire to instill compassion, perspective, and a sense of greater purpose in our dancers. We believe it’s important to help our students understand that dance is not just about trophies and titles—it can also be a powerful tool for connection, advocacy, and change.

In a community as competitive as South Florida’s dance scene, we want to provide our dancers with opportunities to think beyond the stage and support causes that truly matter. Many of our dancers and families have been personally touched by cancer, and this initiative is one meaningful way we can stand beside them and the larger community.

As a Hope Studio, we are proud to use our platform to inspire empathy, encourage service, and teach valuable life lessons that will stay with our dancers far beyond the studio walls.

Young dancers on stage presenting a large donation check to Dancers Against Cancer
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What is a Hope Studio?

The Hope Studio program collaborates with dance studios across the country to foster community involvement and raise funds for families battling cancer. By becoming a Hope Studio, Ascendance Studio aligns itself with a noble cause, transforming our space into a hub of philanthropy and support.

As a Hope Studio, we join a nationwide network of dance communities committed to making a difference. This partnership not only aids those in dire need but also instills a deep sense of generosity and unity among our dancers and their families. Our involvement brings our community closer together, creating a legacy of compassion and action that resonates well beyond the dance floor.

Two young dancers posing in front of a Dancers Against Cancer backdrop
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Thank You for Your Generosity & Support!

This year, we are proud to introduce our very first DAC Gala Show—an inspiring performance that brings together our talented soloists, duets, and trio who have generously chosen to donate their artistry in support of a meaningful cause. This special event celebrates both their dedication and the power of the arts to make a difference. All proceeds from the gala will go directly toward advancing this wonderful mission.

Together, the Ascendance Studio family is dancing for a purpose, spreading hope, and making a difference.

Support the Cause
Behind the Gala

Meet the Producers

Valentina R. Bagala and Rafael E. Savino standing together
Valentina R. Bagala and Rafael E. Savino, producers of the Dancers Against Cancer Gala

Valentina and Rafael have spent years building Ascendance Studio into a home for dancers of every age and stage. When they first talked about putting on a gala, the idea was simple: bring their dance community together for something bigger than a single performance. Both had watched cancer touch the people they loved, and both believed dance could be more than art on a stage — it could be a way to give back.

As the owners of the studio, they already had a company of dancers ready to rally behind the cause. They brought Ascendance Studio Company to the stage, partnered with Dancers Against Cancer, and began shaping an evening where every ticket, every donation, and every number on the program would go toward supporting families facing a cancer diagnosis. Producing the gala has meant late nights, countless rehearsals, and a shared belief that a community of dancers, choreographers, and supporters can turn an evening of movement into real, lasting help for the people who need it most.

Valentina R. Bagala

Producer and Artistic Director

Rafael E. Savino

Co-Producer

We're not just producing a show — we're inviting our whole community to dance for a reason. Every seat filled is hope passed on.

Valentina & Rafael
Special Guest & Host

Hosting the Evening: Tia Stokes

Portrait of Tia Stokes, dancer, choreographer, and cancer survivor
Tia Stokes — host of the Dancers Against Cancer Gala

Tia Stokes

Host & Special Guest

  • Cancer Survivor
  • Dancer
  • Choreographer
  • Business Owner

This year's gala has a host who knows exactly what the evening is for. Tia Stokes — dancer, choreographer, and business owner — will guide the audience through the program and the cause behind it.

Tia's connection to Dancers Against Cancer isn't abstract. During her own cancer treatment, she kept doing the thing she loved most: she danced. Videos of her dancing through chemotherapy spread across the internet, turning hospital hallways and treatment rooms into stages and reminding millions of people that joy and movement can coexist with the hardest days.

What started as a personal way to stay grounded became a message that resonated far beyond her own story. As a survivor, a choreographer, and the owner of her own dance business, Tia has spent the years since using her platform to support others facing a diagnosis — and to show that a dance community can rally around its own. Hosting the gala is a natural extension of that work: an evening where her story, the performers on stage, and every supporter in the room are pointed at the same purpose.

Dancing got me through the hardest year of my life. Hosting this gala is my way of dancing for everyone still in the middle of their fight.

Tia Stokes
The Program

The Show

Every dancer on this program has personally chosen to perform in our DAC Benefit Show — a voluntary commitment to use their artistry to raise funds and awareness for the fight against cancer. The numbers you'll see tonight are their competitive solos and duets, placed in service of Dancers Against Cancer and the families facing this fight. Thirty-one performances across two acts. Settle in, and enjoy the show.

Featuring the dancers ofAscendance Studio Company

First Act

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Martina Couto
01

Something New

Martina Couto

Choreography Paola Vicente

Andrea Bravo
02

My Heart Cries for You

Andrea Bravo

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

Jade Alfonso
03

Perseverance

Jade Alfonso

Choreography Kristy Baker

Marian Vicente
04

All There Is

Marian Vicente

Choreography Sarah Barrascout

Alessandra Savino
05

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

Alessandra Savino

Choreography Kristy Baker

Ainhoa Azpurua
06

Nessun Dorma

Ainhoa Azpurua

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

Valquiria Puga
07

Alejandro

Valquiria Puga

Choreography Sofia Suarez

Adriana Bravo
08

Hopelessly Devoted

Adriana Bravo

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

Alyssa Him
09

Tomorrow

Alyssa Him

Choreography Paola Espinoza

Catalina Sobrino
10

Anything Worth Holding

Catalina Sobrino

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

Maya Viera
11

Like It or Not

Maya Viera

Choreography Paola Vicente

Isabella Vargas
12

All at Once

Isabella Vargas

Choreography Sarah Barrascout

Emma Viera
13

Until I'm Done

Emma Viera

Choreography Paola Vicente

Maria Mendez
14

You Don't Even Know Me

Maria Mendez

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

Miranda Acosta
15

Tightrope

Miranda Acosta

Choreography Paola Espinoza

Alana Castillo Abad
16

Bitter Earth

Alana Castillo Abad

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

Intermission20 min

Second Act

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Giuliana Guacci-Rozanes
17

Hit Me With a Hot Note

Giuliana Guacci-Rozanes

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

Gabriela Cruz
18

Your Song

Gabriela Cruz

Choreography Paola Vicente

Valentina Paez
19

Sway

Valentina Paez

Choreography Sofia Suarez

Emma Fonseca
20

One Woman

Emma Fonseca

Choreography Sofia Suarez

Lucia Gil
21

And So It Is

Lucia Gil

Choreography Sarah Barrascout

Cristina Reyes
22

Whatever Lola Wants

Cristina Reyes

Choreography Sofia Suarez

Fiorella Angel
23

I Am Free

Fiorella Angel

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

Emma Loustalet
24

If You Want Perfection

Emma Loustalet

Choreography Paola Vicente

Nicole Diaz
25

Lucky

Nicole Diaz

Choreography Paola Espinoza

Kamila Parejo
26

A Place With No Name

Kamila Parejo

Choreography Paola Vicente

Jade Alfonso
27

Home

Jade Alfonso

Choreography Paola Vicente

Adriana Bravo
Andrea Bravo
28Duet

Tu Luz

Adriana Bravo & Andrea Bravo

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

Alessandra Savino
29

Quimbara

Alessandra Savino

Choreography Sofia Suarez

Marian Vicente
30

Mary Kelly

Marian Vicente

Choreography Kristy Baker

Ainhoa Azpurua
31

Last Tango

Ainhoa Azpurua

Choreography Valentina R. Bagala

With Gratitude

Our Collaborators

The DAC Gala comes to life through the generosity of partners, sponsors, and a dedicated group of individuals who lend their time and talent. We are grateful to everyone who helps make this night of hope possible.

Partners & Sponsors

Individual Collaborators

Sofia Vicente

Sofia Vicente

ASC DAC Ambassador

Paola Vicente

Paola Vicente

Choreographer & Production Support

Vanessa Amador

Vanessa Amador

Production Support

Sofia Suarez

Sofia Suarez

Choreographer

Kristy Baker

Kristy Baker

Choreographer

Paola Espinoza

Paola Espinoza

Choreographer & Social Media

Sarah Barrascout

Sarah Barrascout

Choreographer

Voices of Hope

Hope Stories

Real voices from our community. Watch how dance, courage, and the support of Dancers Against Cancer have carried families through their hardest seasons.

Meet DAC Hope Story: Alivia Natter

Meet DAC Hope Story Layla

Meet DAC Hope Story: Yvette

Meet Jaylin Pulido | Childhood Cancer Survivor

DAC Hope Story: Mother-Daughter Warriors Against Cancer

Meet DAC Hope Story Emma

Join the Movement

Every Seat, Every Gift, Every Share Moves the Mission Forward

The DAC Gala is more than one unforgettable night of dance — it is a lifeline. Every ticket purchased and every dollar donated goes directly to Dancers Against Cancer, helping dance families facing a cancer diagnosis cover treatment costs, travel, and everyday expenses when they need it most.

Can't attend? Sharing the gala with your community is its own kind of generosity — it widens the circle of support and helps us reach the families who need it. However you choose to give, you become part of a movement that turns the joy of dance into real, tangible hope.

Best Way to Help

Buy Tickets

Reserve your seat for an unforgettable evening of dance — proceeds support the cause.

Get Tickets

Make a Donation

Give directly to Dancers Against Cancer — any amount makes a difference for a family in need.

Donate Now

Spread the Word

Share the gala with your friends and family to help us reach more supporters.