As residents of the Gulf Coast continue to work to piece their lives back together following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Americans continue to open their hearts to provide comfort and assistance. Along with the national shock at the magnitude of the disaster, a growing desire to "do something" has emerged.

On Saturday, September 17, dancers from Chris Collins Dance Studio (Alexandria, VA), Center Stage Performing Arts Center (Fairfax, VA) and Backstage Dance Studio (Columbia, MD) did something. They came together on very short notice to give a benefit performance at Springfield Mall in support of relief efforts.

For more than three hours, dancers from each of the studios alternated performances while thousands of mall patrons gathered to view the spectacle. Chris Collins, whose studio took the lead in organizing the show, acted as master of ceremonies and set a very ambitious goal of raising $5,000 on the day. He also donated $500 on behalf of his studio to build the early fundraising momentum.

As 45 group and solo dance routines took to the impromptu stage on the mall floor, other dancers circled with top hats, collecting donations from the appreciative and enthusiastic audience. And when the final dance had been danced and the final dollar had been counted, the effort raised an amazing $6,334 -- every penny of which will go immediately to the American Red Cross to assist with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Commenting on the days events, studio director Chris Collins observed, "At Chris Collins Dance Studio we like to say that we measure our success in smiles, and we usually means the smiles on the faces of our dancers. Because of the funds that these children raised today, some hurricane survivors will get a meal tomorrow; others will have shelter and a place to sleep; others may receive counseling; and they all will get a little more hope. And when our children see news reports in the weeks ahead and one of those survivors manages to muster a smile, our dancers will truly be able to measure the success of their efforts."

Fully sanctioned by the American Red Cross and supported by the Springfield Mall Merchants Association, the fundraiser was unique in its ability to bring together for a united purpose three studios or dancers who normally see each other as friendly rivals at dance competitions.

Collins observed, "At our studio we make a sincere effort to teach our students that they are more than just Chris Collins dancers. They belong to a larger community of dance, and we want them to develop friendships with dancers from other studios, learn from each other, and appreciate and support each other. Today these wonderful young people came together not as three dance studios but as one team united by a single goal, and the results speak for themselves."

We congratulate and thank all the dancers who gave so generously of their time and talents as well as those mall patron who gave so generously of their cash in order to support the relief efforts.