Victoria's Mission
From the moment Victoria could walk, all she wanted to do was express herself through movement. She spent her adolescence dancing at several studios and competed throughout the country, eventually earning a spot on the Florida Atlantic University Fly Girls dance team. It was her dream to open a wellness center to support young adults in all aspects of their lives.
VICTORIA LEE ZOË STRAUSS
Born May 7, 1997, Victoria Lee Zoë Strauss was adopted from Romania. She was immediately adored by her family, including her big brother. She was the missing puzzle piece and completing member of the Strauss Family.
Victoria had a special bond with her big brother, Jerry, because they were both adopted from the same orphanage a couple years apart. They grew up looking out for and encouraging each other.
Victoria was vibrant, energetic, beautiful, and caring. She loved making her friends laugh and always made sure everyone was having a good time when hanging out.
She was incredibly passionate about dance and worked very hard at her craft. She dedicated years to dancing, fitness and nutrition. She believed she would be utilizing dance as a way to heal and express herself for the rest of her life.
DANCING THROUGH LIFE
Her life was completely flipped upside down when she suddenly lost her dad to cancer during college. She was, without a doubt, a daddy’s girl and struggled hard with the hand life had dealt her.
With her dance team at FAU helping her along the way, she eventually, she met a therapist that helped her through her grief.
She found healing in therapy and in choreographing a dance dedicated to her dad. Upon graduating from FAU, she changed her career path and decided to dedicate her whole life to helping others.
She applied and was accepted to The Ohio State University and was working toward her masters in social work, where she would pursue her dream of opening a wellness retreat that would offer dance classes, educational opportunities, and mental health services to grieving women and young adults.
It is our goal at the Victoria Strauss Foundation to continue to honor Victoria’s legacy and dream in supporting young passionate dancers reach their goals, too.
