Eden Fieldstone
stories & testimonials
Member since 2007, Skills grant, Counselling, Retraining and FTS-II subsistence
Eden has been a professional belly dancer for over 20 years and a typical weekend consisted of 7-10 shows. Being able to live solely on this performance income caused her several debilitating injuries from over performing. These injuries left her financially drained and without work. Thankfully, the AFC was able to assist hern covering her basic needs during that time. It was also during this time she became a member of the DTRC. She was reluctant to join at first thinking that it meant she was admitting that her dance career could have an end date.
“Being a belly dancer was my identity and during this time of not being able to walk let alone perform I experienced the intense existential angst that Martha Graham famously wrote about. I reacquainted with my academic side that I had left behind after I graduated with my Honours Degree in Philosophy. I realized that it was imperative for me to earn income from another source that was not physical. I began my parallel career teaching English, (ESL) during the week and maintained a lighter performance weekend. I have been maintaining this balance since 2008.”
Eden was accepted to complete her Masters of Education at York University this year.
“The opportunity to be granted funds by the DTRC to help pursue my Masters of Education is greatly appreciated. I am grateful that I am eligible for this opportunity to receive a grant towards my second career. I do not take it lightly. It also came at a much-needed time when my weekly income from dancing ceased unexpectedly during COVID-19. York’s investment in me as a graduate student is assurance that they believe I will graduate and put my degree into practice. “
