New York City Dance Alliance National Season Finale Set for 6/28-7/5

This summer, from June 28th–July 5th at the Sheraton NY just north of Times Square, 1,500 student dancers from across the United States (ages 7-18) will attend the New York City Dance Alliance National Season Finale which last year awarded a grand total of $2.9 million in college scholarships. Several past student participants have gone on to perform on Broadway and be principal dancers at some of the country's most respected dance companies. Past participants have also been winners of the hit TV show So You Think You Can Dance and also appear as the pros on Dancing with the Stars.

Each year this major dance event hosts the country's most talented and promising up and coming dancers, offering them the chance to compete for millions in college scholarships, participate in audition workshops with Broadway shows & other top entertainment productions, take dance classes taught by some of the industry's most celebrated dancers and instructors, and perform for leaders of the dance and entertainment communities.

Audition workshops being offered this year may include the Broadway production of Newsies, Cirque du Soleil and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Incorporated in the early fall of 1993, New York City Dance Alliance was founded by Executive Director, Joe Lanteri to create a dance convention with a cutting edge point of view, from the dance capital of the world, New York City.

The first three days of the event (6/28-6/30) include orientations, rehearsals, adjudication sessions and preliminary competitions, and taking place on Sunday, July 1st will be the college scholarship auditions, where the High School junior and senior participants will get the chance to audition for the chance to win millions in scholarships. Participating colleges and universities this year may include Marymount Manhattan, The University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA), Point Park University (Pittsburgh, PA), Mercyhurst University (Eerie, PA) and Dean College (Franklin, MA).

From Monday, July 2nd thru Thursday, July 5th, attendees will also have the opportunity to take a range of dance classes led by top professionals including Tony Award-winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and Tony Testa (who's choreographed for Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson and Kylie Minogue and also worked with the late Michael Jackson on his final tour "This is It"). The event will offer more than 80 classes in six ballrooms with over 20 instructors in all styles of dance.

Taking place on Wednesday, July 4th at 7:30pm (for the 7-12 year old participants) will be the Junior Gala, and on Thursday, July 5th at 6:30pm (for the teenage participants) will be the Closing Night Gala, which will feature performances from the students as well as special guest Broadway performers. The scholarship winners will also be announced during the Closing Night Gala and the top competition performers from earlier in the week will get to perform again for their peers and range of leaders from the dance and entertainment communities.

The finale event comes after New York City Dance Alliance's regional competition tour which goes to over twenty cities across the U.S. including Los Angeles, Orlando, Las Vegas, Dallas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, and Portland. All finale participants have taken part in the regional tour earlier this year.

The New York City Dance Alliance National Season Finale will take place from June 28th-July 5th at the Sheraton NY (811 7th Avenue). For more information on New York City Dance Alliance, visit www.NYCDance.com.