NSAL Florida Honors Boca Ballet And Young Artists At Star Maker Awards

The National Society of Arts & Letters of Florida recently celebrated 40 years of supporting the dreams of young local artists through scholarships and competitions with a dazzling event at The Wick Theatre in Boca Raton.

The annual Star Maker Awards brought out a galaxy of arts patrons who were inspired by the phenomenal performances of this year's students. The event also honored Boca Ballet Theatre's Co-Artistic Directors Jane Tyree and Dan Guin with the Lifetime Achievement Award for their outstanding contributions to the dance realm and the South Florida arts community.

"We are so grateful for the community's support for NSAL of Florida," said Kim Champion, event chairperson. "The Star Maker Awards provides a unique opportunity for the community to meet our local and national scholarship and competition recipients, and be mesmerized by their talent."

During the Star Makers Awards, guests were treated to performances by National Voice scholarship recipient Melissa Martinez, along with local music scholarship recipients, violinist Daniel Guevara, pianist Klyde Ledamo and oboist Kari Jenks. Artwork was on display throughout the venue by Fabien Henry Lilavois, Zaine Lodhi and Karina Alexandra Rodriguez, who are national scholarship recipients in the visual arts category. Lilavois received the highest award in both age categories at Nationals.

There was also a video presentation featuring NSAL's award-winning dancer Gabby Garbarini, along with a Where Are They Now presentation featuring dancer Sophie Miklosovic, who shared exciting career highlights during years since her 2017 NSAL win.

Event Co-chairs Shari Upbin and Marcie Gorman and Scholarship Chair, Alyce Erickson, along with Honorary Chair Marilynn Wick created an evening to entertain and inspire.

"We are very proud of the extraordinary young talent that has come through the NSAL program," said co-event chair Marcie Gorman. "Our organization supports emerging artists in multiple disciplines including music, dance, voice, visual arts and literature."

Dance was this year's national competition, so it was befitting that Jane Tyree and Dan Guin received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

"Boca Ballet Theatre's contribution to the arts in South Florida is incomparable," said event co-chair Shari Upbin. "We were all delighted to have Dan and Jane as our honorees, and we are grateful for their tremendous support of our organization throughout the years."

Acclaimed performers, choreographers and instructors, Guin and Tyree have built BBT into one of the top civic companies in the country, presenting professional productions with world-class guest artists. BBT's esteemed non-profit dance school has propelled many successful students to the most prestigious stages in the world.

"We are grateful to be celebrating this historic milestone for our organization," said Judi Asselta, President. "Through the generosity of so many, NSAL of Florida has been able to play a transformative role in the development of numerous local artists. With the sustained dedication of those who love the arts, we hope to continue our mission of helping young creatives achieve their goal of expressing themselves and showcasing their talent."

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Lead Performer in a Play - Top 3

1. Daniel Radcliffe - Every Brilliant Thing

27.4% of votes

2. Nathan Lane - Death of a Salesman

13.9% of votes

3. John Lithgow - Giant

6.4% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats