Henry Danton Memorial Fund

Henry Danton (March 30, 1919 - February 9, 2022) is a legend in the ballet world.

Mr. Danton was a winner of the Adeline Genee Silver Medal and became a prolific dancer in London during and immediately after World War II. He performed as a soloist with the International Ballet and Sadler's Wells Ballet. Mr. Danton toured and taught across the UK, Europe, Australasia, South America, and the United States. He was an influence in the birth and growth of ballet companies in Venezuela and Bogota, Colombia.

Mississippi became especially blessed when Henry Danton decided to settle here for the latter 25 years of life and became very involved in local ballet programs. He left an indelible mark on so many young dancers including me (Laura Catherine Dawson - founder and director of Leaps of Faith). I am especially blessed to have been able to train for more than a decade under his tutelage.

Learning classical ballet from Mr. Danton impacted my life tremendously in so many areas. The opportunity to know and learn from such a special teacher, who so generously passed along his unique knowledge, skill, and vast experience, has been a major influence on my life. Mr. Danton’s commitment to teaching, his desire to bring the arts to the community, as well as his love and passion for ballet were major inspirations that led me to found Leaps of Faith.

Leaps of Faith is a non-profit 501c3 organization which strives to make classical ballet accessible to underserved populations and to people who have been underrepresented in classical ballet. Founded in 2015, Leaps of Faith began providing free ballet classes to children in need within our community. This began to change our lives and the lives of so many people around us. Seven years later, Leaps of Faith provides 75 children a week with a classical ballet education. Our mission has stayed the same: to teach classical ballet to families who cannot afford it, and to share love and acceptance with our students, their families, and our community. Due in large part to Henry Danton's generosity and love of teaching, Leaps of Faith is able to provide children, who otherwise would be unable to experience the joy of classical ballet, a safe place to enrich their lives with this beautiful art form.

Help us continue Henry Danton's legacy of ballet education by donating to the "Henry Danton Memorial Fund". The proceeds from this fund go directly to providing scholarships to young dancers in need as well as providing the resources needed to ensure the longevity of the Leaps of Faith program. Our desire is to continue to grow in our commitment to give back to the community by being able to accept more dancers whose applications have been approved. We have a waiting list full of children who desire to enter the Leaps of Faith ballet program. Nothing makes us happier than to be able to call a family and share that a scholarship has been provided for them to be able to experience the joy of ballet. Thank you for partnering with Leaps of Faith through your life changing donations. Together we can honor Henry Danton's legacy and make a difference in our world.