Dance Council Student & Teacher 2008 Scholarships
Chasen Greenwood in Michael Mayes’ "Forbidden Fruit" at Curtain Call Dance Festival (CCDF).
Dance Council, a not-for-profit corporation based in Dallas, Texas, offers scholarships for dancers ages 13-21 who demonstrate ability, artistry and passion. Application deadline is February 9, 2008. All dancers are notified by March 14, 2008.
Whenever possible, scholarship recipients are showcased by Dance Council throughout the year at events such as Curtain Call Dance Festival, National Tap Dance Celebration and Dance for the Planet.
Information needed on applications include a letter of recommendation from a dance instructor, two photographs suitable for publication, a copy of the most recent academic report card and a brief biographical statement including all dance study and the reason for the application. The submitted videotape or DVD should be an audition piece that demonstrates the dancer’s talent and skill with appropriate technique – for example, jazz technique for a jazz dance scholarship. Videos of live performances are not acceptable.
Applicants must be a member of Dance Council. There is no residency requirement.
Scholarships fall into four categories: Ballet and All Dance Styles; Modern Dance; Jazz, Tap and Musical Theater; and International Dance and Baroque Dance. Many of the scholarships are named to honor people or as a memorial. For example, Elaine Harper Memorial Scholarship gives financial support of $500 to assist a ballet dancer with study at a summer workshop or intensive. Jerry Bywaters Cochran Scholarship in Modern Dance awards $1,000 for summer study of advanced technique, repertory and choreography. Dallas Summer Musicals School provides full tuition to attend DSM July Workshop in Dallas, which includes dance, singing and acting and an opportunity to perform in the student showcase. Indian Cultural Heritage Foundation (ICHF) donates financial support of $500 for a dancer primarily trained in Indian classical dance to attend a workshop in the USA or abroad. The selected dancer may choose to study Indian classical dance or another traditional discipline. All scholarships are listed with Dance Council: www.thedancecouncil.org
Scholarship dancers perform at Dance for the Planet, a spring outdoor festival that features students, pre-professional companies and professional dancers. Showcases include lyrical, ballet, hip hop, tap dance, modern dance as well as ethnic, folk dance and praise dancing. The dancers perform on stages in a park with vendors, food and free dance lessons. Tap dancers are given the opportunity to perform at National Tap Dance Celebration in June, which Dance Council produces with Dallas Summer Musicals.
Curtain Call Dance Festival, the September kick-off to the Dallas-Fort Worth autumn season, is yet another performing venue. Dancers Katie Boren, Melinda Castro, Chasen Greenwood, Jay Jackson, Amber Miller, Mitali Sathaye, Chinmayee Venkatraman and Michael Wright were showcased this past fall.
Curtain Call Inc. offers two scholarships through Dance Council. Teacher Development Scholarship is financial support of $500 to be used to further the study of teaching dance. Curtain Call Studio Development Scholarship is full tuition and three-night stay (value over $1,000) for a dance studio owner at the DanceLife Teacher Conference, August 1-4, 2008, at Phoenician Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona. Transportation and meals are not covered.
Submission for these two scholarships include a minimum of five years professional teaching experience, minimum age of 21, current Dance Council member at individual level or above, biographical statement and letter of recommendation.
Dance Council has more details and applications: www.thedancecouncil.org The office phone is 214-219-2290 and email is director@thedancecouncil.org