Francesca LoPorto-Brandow and Yurii Kolodieiev
Every dollar brings them closer to victory and supports a cause that changes lives far beyond the dance floor. Donate below!
Francesca LoPorto-Brandow
Francesca LoPorto-Brandow is a cancer survivor, entrepreneur, and changemaker dedicated to expanding compassionate access to care. She is the founder of The Flutter Express and Flutter Club, inc., two mission-driven organizations inspired by her own cancer journey and the healthcare experiences of her family and community. Her work centers on ensuring that no one has to face their healthcare journey alone, or without a way to reach the care they need.
Francesca is dancing to benefit Flutter Club, inc., a 100% volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, whose mission is to eliminate transportation barriers and ease financial burdens by providing travel assistance aboard The Flutter Express. This support helps individuals seeking a second medical opinion or navigating critical illness, developmental disabilities, or reproductive and fertility challenges. Assistance extends not only to patients but also to their caregivers and immediate family members, enabling access to world-renowned Healthcare Centers of Excellence in New York City and Boston. Flutter Club also provides care packages filled with essential travel items, comfort, and encouragement to support individuals on the road to healing.
What many don’t know is that before all of this, Francesca danced ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop from early childhood through 12th grade. While she’s never trained in ballroom, some of her most treasured memories are dancing with her father at family parties and celebrations. He taught her how to dance, and how to lead with heart. After losing him to a 3.5-year battle with multiple myeloma, saying “yes” to Dancing with the Stars in her hometown felt like a full-circle tribute.
She dances in his honor, for Flutter Club, and all of the lives she’s helping get to life-changing care with their loved ones—and for every step that brought her to this moment.
Yurii Kolodieiev
Yurii Kolodieiev is a professional ballroom dance instructor with over 20 years of experience in ballroom dancing. For the past decade, he has been teaching both children and adults of all ages, helping them discover the joy and discipline of dance. His professional career also includes performing as a dancer and artist in Turkey and Qatar. Today, he continues to grow his career as the lead dance instructor at Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Saratoga Springs.
Yurii is thrilled to be part of this year’s Dancing with the Capital Region Stars: Battle of the Beats. Dance has always been his passion, and the opportunity to use it in support of such a meaningful cause is incredibly special to him. For Yurii, this night is all about giving back through movement, connection, and community - and he is honored to dance for it.
