The summer of 2023 was a truly meaningful beginning for what would later become OneDance. Back then, there was no official name, no detailed plan—just a few young volunteers who loved dance and hoped to use it to bring joy to newly arrived immigrant children.

When we decided to reach out to CICS, our hearts were filled with nervous anticipation. I still remember that night—the glow of the computer screen on the desk, and an email that sat in the drafts folder for a long time, written, deleted, and rewritten again and again.

We wanted to tell them about our small dream: to create a free dance summer camp for immigrant children, helping them find confidence and happiness in a new country. But at the same time, we worried that the idea was too small, too idealistic—that no one would believe in the sincerity of a few young dreamers.

When we finally pressed “send,” our hearts were pounding. It was a moment of fear and hope intertwined.

A few days later, CICS replied. The message read: “This is such a meaningful idea. We’d love to learn more and explore how we can make it happen together.”
Those few simple words moved us to tears. In that moment, we knew—our kindness had been heard, and our dream had found a place to grow.

With CICS’s strong support, the very first summer camp was successfully held. The laughter of the children, the spins and applause in class, became the warmest memories of that summer.

And that nervous little email we once sent became the starting point of the OneDance story—sending our love and hope further into the future.