Destiny Rising, Gala Performance to Benefit NYC Dance Alliance Foundation

The NYC Dance Alliance Foundation (NYCDAF) will celebrate its first anniversary with a fundraising performance at The Joyce Theater on Monday evening, January 16, 2012 at 7:30 pm. The gala evening of dance artistry will feature outstanding NYCDA alumni, the choreography of NYCDA faculty and special guest performances from prominent professional dance companies all to benefit the NYCDAF College Scholarship Program. Last August at the closing of their Annual National Convention, Joe Lanteri, Executive Director of NYCDAF distributed an astounding $2.8 million in scholarships to promising young dancers.

The evening directed by Joe Lanteri will feature choreography by Lauren Adams, Camille A. Brown, Thang Dao, Jason Parsons, Garrett Smith and Guest Performers including Camille A. Brown, Melissa Hough & Garrett Smith of Houston Ballet, STEPS Repertory Ensemble, The Marymount Manhattan Dance Company, University of the Arts Dance Ensemble and special guests Foundation Star Supporters and Plumb Performing Arts of Arizona, as well as, Susan Jaffe, American Ballet Theatre. A post performance 'talk back' with the artists is open to all ticket holders.

NYCDA Executive Director Joe Lanteri successfully juggles the roles of choreographer, director, producer, teacher and entrepreneur working on stage, in film and television. Lanteri was on the original creative staff for the hit TV series, CLUB MTV, on the MTV Network. He has worked with such stars as Bill Cosby, Diahann Carroll, and Broadway greats Andrea McArdle, Lee Roy Reams, Lorna Luft, and Lucie Arnaz.

As the Executive Director/Choreographer for New York City Theatrical Events, he has produced, directed, and choreographed countless live industrial shows and special events. Clients have ranged from IBM and Schering-Plough to Rite-Aid and Tupperware. His choreography has been featured everywhere from soap operas to MTV, Off-Broadway to stages around the world - including Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Edinburgh Theatre Festival.

Lanteri has produced entertainment extravaganzas for international events and heads of state from Washington, DC to Istanbul, Turkey to Tokyo, Japan to Zambia, Africa. He has created, directed and choreographed dozens of critically acclaimed conceptual song/dance revues, special events, and New Year's Eve Spectaculars for many of the Atlantic City Casinos- mainly the Trump Taj Mahal, the Atlantic City Hilton, and the Tropicana. His dynamic style and explosive choreography have established him as a driving force in the shaping of New York City dance style. He has been the topic of many articles in various dance publications- including the cover story of the nationally recognized Dance Teacher Now.

Lanteri has been invited to serve on the faculty of many international arts centers- Mexico, Japan, Turkey, Italy, Denmark, and more! He regularly serves on the faculty of the Jazz Dance World Congress. Joe enjoys traveling the country, nurturing the next generation of dancers, and discovering new talent. His students grace the stages of virtually every show currently running on Broadway. He is always cultivating new projects and special events, often utilizing the talents of NYCDA dancers. He continues to teach in New York City at Steps on Broadway and has served on the prestigious faculty of The Juilliard School since 1992.

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. Beginning with regional conventions in four cities, ha and managing Director have grown the organization to 23 cities each of which sends their best young talent to New York for the Annual Summer Convention during which they partake in intensive workshops with top Broadway choreographers and Ballet Masters and Mistresses form the most prestigious dance companies. They also participate in open auditions attended by recruiters from the top dance companies and institutions of higher learning including Julliard, Marymount and The College of the Arts. On the closing days, attendees have been able to audition for the casting directors of such smash musicals as “Billy Elliott”, “Come Fly Away”, “Memphis”, “Peter Pan”, “Annie” and the Radio City Musical Hall Christmas Spectacular. In keeping with the organization’s mission of empowering young dancers and assisting them in their professional growth, the annual NYCDA Summer Convention has become a major casting opportunity for young talent for theater and the dance world.

More Articles by This Author...