NEW BRITAIN - The 4th Annual Dance For Ana With Love fundraising event will take place Saturday, April 2, from 11 am to 5 pm, at CREC Medical Professions & Teacher Preparation Academy in New Britain.Volunteers4ana@gmail.com.Eventbrite.com and search for 4th Annual Dance For Ana With Love in New Britain CT.

The annual event is a project started by Carla Butler to honor the legacy of Ana Grace Marquez-Greene. Ana Grace was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on 12/14. She would have turned ten years old on April 4, 2016.

Ms Butler came to know Ana Grace through the many media stories and later from her mom, Nelba, father, Jimmy, and brother Isaiah. She felt she had to take action to honor the little girl who danced everywhere, wore flowers in her hair, loved the color purple, and often would say when her soul was unsettled "Love wins." Ms Butler gathered her Zumba sisters together, led by Off the Wall Zumba with Tanya & Elsa, to dance for Ana. It was a grassroots endeavor with a very simple message: smile, have fun, and dance.

The theme for this year's Dance For Ana is "Connection Through Rhythm And Dance." The event is moderately priced to encourage the entire family to attend a fun filled day of music, laughter, and dance while providing children with an opportunity to experience how collective philanthropic efforts can have an immediate impact on their world.

The program will include many interactive activities, including The Ebony Horse Women, Anne Cubberly with Night Fall Giant Puppets, and the Hartford Proud Drum & Dance Corp to kick-off the event with a family fun parade.

Refreshments, vendors, and raffles will also be available.

Cost is $25 for a Family 4-Pack, $8 for an individual, $5 for students with a Student ID. Children under age 3 attend for free. Tickets can be purchased either through a board member or eventbrite prior to the event or at the door on the day of the event.

Over the past three years, the fundraiser has grown tremendously. 2015 afforded the opportunity to donate $8,000 to the Ana Grace Academy of Arts Elementary School in Avon. The money was used to purchase musical instruments, equipment, and dance shoes. Another $8,000 was donated to Chamberlain Elementary School in New Britain - Mental Health Trauma Clinic. Their primary goal is to teach empathy and love. An additional $100,000 was donated to establish the Love Wins Family Resource Center at Chamberlain School.

The Annual Dance For Ana fundraiser seeks to raise additional funds to support direct services for early detection and treatment of children in distress at local schools, as well as education for teachers and health care providers in mental illness and violence prevention. Sponsorships are available.

Nelba Marquez-Greene has decided to dedicate her life to providing resources to spot mental illness that exist in our world before tragedy hits. The Dance For Ana With Love Board is committed to supporting her cause.

[mappress mapid="45"] is at 600 Slater Road, directly off I-84 Exit 36.

For more information, send an e-mail to danceforanawithlove@gmail.com or call Carla Butler at 860-805-2239. Volunteers may e-mail

To confirm vendor participation, to purchase tickets, and to make donations, visit