Alice da Silva Aguiar’s parents say she found her love of dancing when she was just 16 months old, and danced non-stop – until her life was cruelly snatched away
The parents of a little girl killed in the Southport attack want to spread “magic” through a foundation set up in her name. Alice’s WonderDance will encourage children to dance just like nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar loved to – before she was killed last year.
Alice died alongside Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Bebe King, six, when twisted teen Axel Rudakubana attacked children with a knife at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29.
Now her parents Sergio and Alexandra Aguiar have set up the namesake foundation to help fund dance opportunities for other children and make dancing Alice’s legacy.
Alexandra said her daughter was just 16 or 17 months old when she found her passion and danced “non-stop” from then.
She said: “Alice’s WonderDance is a foundation we created in the name of Alice just to show everyone how wonderful Alice was. We just want to provide fun for children in the world of dance.”
She said the logo for the charity features ballet shoes and a magic wand to “spread the magic in her name”. The grieving parents will raise money to fund dance classes at after-school clubs, dance uniforms for children or university funding for young dancers. Sergio is set to take on six marathons across the world to raise funds, starting in Berlin next month.
He said: “Every mile I run is for her and her name. I just think about her.” He ran the London Marathon earlier this year to raise money for a new playground at Churchtown Primary School, where Alice was a pupil. The couple said they have also received support from Elsie and Bebe’s parents and have become a team which “helps and holds each other”, Sergio said.
Bebe and Elsie’s parents have also set up charitable organisations in their daughter’s memories known as Bebe’s Hive and Elsie’s Story. Mr Aguiar said: “We try to work together like a team, try to help each other.” Family friend Sarah Buck told the programme the foundation is also selling merchandise, including T-shirts, bags and hats, to raise money.
