Scholarship

The SwingDiversity scholarships are awarded each year to dancers who show dedication to the community and the desire and potential to create ripples throughout it. Applicants must self-identify the historically marginalized community to which they belong.

There are three categories: newcomer, amateur (WSDC Novice/Intermediate), and pro (WSDC Advanced/All-Star). The application cycle opens in the spring of each year, and runs approximately April or May through June. Recipients are notified virtually and announced publicly in early July at Wild Wild Westie in Dallas, TX.

Our annual scholarship has given $16,800 worth of resources to 15 people with 12 hours of private lesson instruction each!

2024 Scholarship Winners

Newcomer Award

Diana Frias Franco (she/her)

Pittsburgh, PA

Diana Frias Franco is a passionate dancer and dedicated student at Carnegie Mellon University, where she is pursuing her PhD in Robotics, studying control theory for legged locomotion. She developed a love for dance in high school after taking an introductory dance class for her art elective and has since continued to train in a variety of styles, ranging from jazz to hip hop. She delved into the world of solo dance during her undergraduate career at Caltech and has even performed in the cast of an original musical “From the Earth to the Moon” during her time in Pasadena. Her journey with partner dance started her senior year in college when she joined the Caltech West Coast Swing Club, and she has been addicted ever since!

Now based in Pittsburgh, Diana has fallen deeper in love with west coast swing and the warm, welcoming community of Westies. Her favorite thing about swing is its ability to unite people from diverse backgrounds, allowing everyone to connect and create something extraordinary together. She is dedicated to making the dance floor a safe space for people to come together through movement, and through the work of Swing Diversity, she hopes to make dance even more accessible to everyone.

Amateur Award (Novice / Intermediate)

Ashley Veal (she/her)

Long Beach, CA

My name is Ashley and I grew up in Huntington Beach, CA. I grew up in a very diverse home, coming from African American, Native American, and Northern European roots. This provided me wonderful exposure to different cultures, but also came with its own challenges, as racism and prejudice were everywhere- from our church groups to my extra-curriculars and even the neighborhood playgrounds. I focused my energies on the performing arts, majoring in vocal performance and dance in college. I discovered West Coast Swing through one of my inspirations, my mom, who first took me and my brother to social dances when we were children and inspired us to connect to others through dance. I absolutely adore West Coast Swing as it combines so many of my dance passions, and I especially enjoy welcoming newcomers and those from diverse backgrounds to the scene. It was experiences like that that helped shaped me as a child, and which I strive to give to others in the dance community today.

Pro (Advanced/All-Star) Award

JD Nafziger (they/them)

Saint Paul, MN

JD began their dance journey, sampling, Salsa and Bachata. This lasted for a few years and within several different venues. However, they were looking for something closer to home and more consistent. Interestingly, GoDance Studio in Goshen, Indiana was just opening and looking to add new instructors. JD jumped on the opportunity to learn more about pedagogy and ballroom dancing.

Shortly after this experience, JD was invited to check out Derby City Swing with a group of friends. JD had only heard of West Coast Swing and had received a 2-hour crash course before the event. Their experience wasn’t unlike a lot of our stories: they were immediately hooked. They were blown away by the connection, flow, complexity, and wide range of musical options.

JD and their friends found themselves in love with a new dance and a deep desire to share it with others. JD began learning both roles in order to teach and dance with every person that walked in the door. Bravo!

Fast forward 9 years and JD is still dancing, competing, and sharing that passion everywhere they go. JD is a crucial and influential member of their local dance community. They are very quickly approaching the All-Star division as a leader and JD is currently following in the Intermediate division.