Sarah Lane’s Dance for Paws Uses Ballet to Raise Money for Pups in Need

Dancers and their furry friends are a match made in heaven—who doesn’t smile when a pet visits rehearsal, or de-stress by cuddling with a four-legged family member after a difficult class? Former American Ballet Theatre principal Sarah Lane, herself a dog mom to Maya, a Shih Tzu, and Cora, a Shih Tzu–Brussels Griffon mix, founded the nonprofit Dance for Paws this year to bring some of ballet’s brightest stars together to fundraise for animals in need. The organization’s debut program, Grace to the Rescue, will be performed on June 2 at Symphony Space in New York City.

“I was inspired to create a platform revolving around dance that raised funds and awareness for animals in shelters at the same time,” says Lane. “These people and organizations are doing so much, working tirelessly, and if they don’t have support, there’s nothing that they can do.”

The stacked cast includes ABT’s Devon Teuscher, Aran Bell, Christine Shevchenko, James Whiteside, Gillian Murphy, Léa Fleytoux, and Jake Roxander. (In addition to performing, Roxander designed the Dance for Paws logo. It’s inspired by the dog owned by his brother, Philadelphia Ballet principal Ashton Roxander.)

“We are a community of artists that support this cause,” says Lane. “The dancers are donating their time and their talents, so my gratitude goes out to them. I’m in awe of their generosity compared to the level of their talent.”

Proceeds from Grace to the Rescue will be spread amongst several New York City–based animal-welfare programs. One is the Emma and Georgina Bloomberg AMC to the Rescue Fund, which subsidizes medical care for yet-to-be adopted animals. Another is Best Friends Animal Society, an organization that works towards the goal of eliminating euthanasia in shelters across the U.S. The last is Muddy Paws Rescue, a foster and adoption program. Lane received assistance in launching Dance for Paws from the Animal Defense Partnership, which provides pro bono legal services to animal-related nonprofits.

While teaching and coaching at the 2025 ADC|IBC finals, Lane also awarded two young dancers with the opportunity to perform in the program: Aubrey Daniels, from Vitacca School for Dance in Houston, and Sakura Natorigawa, from Ellison Ballet in New York City, who both placed in the competition’s female senior division. “We’re simultaneously saving animals and giving a really wonderful opportunity to young artists, where they can feel what it’s like to perform in front of a New York audience alongside some top dancers of today,” Lane says. Daniels and Natorigawa will dance in an excerpt from Don Quixote alongside Roxander and Fleytoux, as well as dancers from New Jersey Ballet.

The performance will be preceded by an adoption event in front of Symphony Space. VIP ticketholders will also be invited to a post-performance reception where they can meet the dancers.

In addition to raising funds, Lane hopes to raise awareness through Dance for Paws on topics like adopting rather than shopping from breeders, the importance of fostering, and the benefits of pet ownership.

“Our animals give us company and unconditional love. They’re a distraction from some of the difficulties in life,” she says. “Regardless of whether we had a great day or a bad day, or whether we danced really well in that performance or we didn’t, they’re always going to greet us with the same complete and unconditional love.”