Local teen raises money to attend a prestigious dance academy

KING CITY, Calif. (KION) A local teen is raising money to attend the Kirov Ballet Academy in Washington D.C.

Ashley Madrid, a ballet student at Monterey County Dance Theatre, has been dancing at the studio since she was three-and-a-half years old.

Ashley started to dance at the Monterey County Dance Theatre in King City. Her longtime teacher and mentor, Janette Harkness says she had potential early on.

"As soon as the ballet slippers went on, you knew. The certain attributes that she has that have given to her make her shine out and are unique to her," said Janette Harkness, artistic and owner of Monterey County Dance Theater.

She's currently 15 years old and got an invitation to the pre-professional division from the Kirov Dance Academy in Washington D.C., an elite academic and training program for dance hopefuls like Ashley. An invitation has only happened one another time in over 25 years that Janette Harkness has been teaching.

"I want to be the one that tries as hard as possible and give it my all and hopefully the teachers can see that. I'm going to try to be motivated as possible and learn from the experience," said Ashley Madrid-Olekna.

The academy costs a little over $60,000 for the year, Ashley has received a partial scholarship but for her working-class family, it's been a struggle to find the remaining $40,000 to attend.

However, her mother has faith that things will work out.

"Even if we don't have a way, God will always make a way," said Svitlana Olekna, mother to Ashley.

Her GoFundMe can be found here.