The Gabriella Foundation was established in 1999 in memory of Gabriella Axelrad, a thirteen-year-old who loved to dance. It was the desire of Gabri's family and friends that low income youth in Los Angeles would receive the same joy and benefits from dance that Gabri experienced in her short life. In the hope of serving all children with an interest in experiencing the wonders of dance, the Founda
tion named its program, Everybody Dance! and our name has evolved to Everybody Dance LA! Everybody Dance LA! opened its doors in May 2000, in a low-income housing project in the MacArthur Park area in Los Angeles. The program started with 35 students in 12 weekly classes. Demand for the classes grew quickly and additional instructors were added to accommodate the rush of young applicants. Currently Everybody Dance LA! serves over 4,000 students at 28 school with our In School Program and 3 After School Dance Sites. Over 90% of students surveyed say that Everybody Dance LA! improves self-esteem, sense of self-efficacy, and overall physical fitness. Professionals in the dance field have taken note of Everybody Dance LA!'s rigor, quality and high expectations. Benjamin Millepied, ("Black Swan," "L.A. Dance Project," former New York City ballet principal) recently described everybody dance! as "the best program I have seen in this country." One family’s vision has truly changed thousands of lives.
