Two Friends Extend Love of Dance Beyond the Studio

From the moment Chloe Kim and Valentina Boltchi first crisscrossed their pointe shoe ribbons, the friends shared an indelible love of dance.

Chloe, a junior at Ursuline Academy, and Valentina, a junior at the Episcopal School of Dallas, competed in all styles of dance, including ballet, contemporary, modern, and jazz, training together at The Dallas Conservatory.

As the dancers continued to perfect their craft, they realized the positive effect dance had on their physical and psychological growth, inspiring them to create Rhythm of Hope, an organization focused on sharing the love of dance with younger generations.

“Over the years, as we have grown in age and experience, Valentina and I have both developed a fondness for teaching dance. Dance has instilled confidence, work ethic, and determination in us,” Chloe said.

It wasn’t, however, until the friends stepped off the dance floor and into the classroom that their outreach program took on a beat of its own, Valentina said.

The dance duo discovered a lack of opportunity for much of the community’s youth interested in pursuing dance and realized how little access existed beyond the elite — and often pricey — academies of the area’s affluent neighborhoods. 

Through Rhythm of Hope, the dance instructors introduced programs to teach skills, encourage movement, and instill confidence in the community’s underserved youth — their dedication to sharing more than a pirouette accelerated by a resounding interest from youngsters in the community. 

“We believe that dance provides exceptional experiences and joy that all children should be able to experience, regardless of their socio-economic status,” Chloe said.

In a short time, the organization has grown to include much more than the teaching of a skill, Valentina explained. Through their outreach, the girls have sought to encourage a love of the arts by forming partnerships with local organizations and hosting community events and fundraisers.

A clothing drive coordinated by the two resulted in the donation of more than 60 items of dance clothes and accessories to be distributed throughout Dallas, and proceeds from their Nutcracker Pointe Shoe fundraiser benefitted dance enrichment opportunities for local youth dance groups. 

During Tutu Tuesdays, Chloe and Valentina have shared lessons on ballerinas whose displays of strength, determination, and resilience have inspired them, including their favorite prima ballerinas, Anna Pavlova and Misty Copeland.

The high schoolers’ biweekly dance class at Wesley Rankin Community Center and Heart House continue to inspire young dancers, and a dance camp hosted at the Walnut Hill Leadership Academy proved a big success. 

“Our winter dance camp at Walnut Hill was absolutely amazing,” Valentina said. “We specifically worked with them on ballet technique using the barre, pirouettes (spinning motions), and leaps across the floor. The kids came in with so much joy and excitement every day — they loved learning new skills and had the biggest smiles on their faces when performing.”

As Chloe and Valentina work to instill a love of dance in young students, they insist no prior dance experience is needed to join the fun. 

“We watched the confidence of [camp participants] flourish and grow as they experienced the joy of dance, and we’re so proud of each dancer’s growth,” Valentina said.

Despite attending different high schools, the two friends credit their mutual love of dance for pushing them to look beyond the confines of a neighborhood, school, or friend group. They are encouraged by the growing momentum of their dance movement.

“We have a bright future planned for ROH and have goals to expand further outside of the DFW area,” Valentina said.