Safe Haven Ballet's Pre-Professional Ballet School and Foster Grace provides free ballet classes to children and teens suffering mental, emotional, and behavioral challenges as a result of involvement in the foster-care systems: increasing access to the arts and improving the wellbeing of youth-at-risk. This program supports physical and mental healing for these vulnerable children through high-quality free ballet classes, led by professional ballet dancers. Our goal is that 80% of foster-care children report improvements in self-confidence, happiness, and wellbeing.
If you are a foster parent, or social worker please reach out to us through our "Contact Us" button at the top of the website to set up the youth's registration with Safe Haven Ballet.
Safe Haven Ballet launched the Heidi Putterill Scholarship Fund in July of 2022 shortly before her courageous battle with cancer took her away to Heaven.
Heidi felt prompted to take class at Safe Haven Ballet in May of 2021 upon learning about our unique mission. She quickly and heartfully connected with Lissa and jumped right into teaching for Safe Haven Ballet for the 2021-2022 school year. Realizing the depth of Heidi’s artistic talents, Lissa asked her if she would consider taking on the choreography for SHB’s spring tour of Cinderella. Heidi did not hesitate and dove into research, choreography, set design and more. Creating this ballet was a dream come true for her as it was her favorite ballet. She was even running rehearsals via Zoom while hooked up to monitors at the hospital; that’s how committed she was. She told Lissa at different times how creating Cinderella (many hours were at the hospital where she invited all her doctors and nurses to attend) had been a huge light for her. Creating Cinderella had kept her spirit going. Heidi was so loved, respected and admired by all of the cast and the entire Safe Haven Ballet family. She showed us daily how to live life to the fullest no matter your circumstances while loving people in the midst of challenges.
The SHB Board of Directors will be awarding this scholarship every school year in honor of Heidi’s inspirational character which was displayed during her time with us as choreographer, coach, performer and friend during her final year in battling her disease. She will always be remembered for her kindness, grace, love, talent and grit!
