MOVE|NYC| Reveals 2025 National YoungArts Award Winners
The 2025 winners join a distinguished community of artists who are offered creative and professional development support throughout their careers.
By: Stephi Wild Feb. 10, 2025
MOVE|NYC| has announced 2025 National YoungArts Award winners including: Ava-Nicole Fincher, 17, Brooklyn; Alannah Vass, 17, Brooklyn; Keith Hinds, 16, Staten Island, and Ava-Rachel Lieber, 17, Livingston, New Jersey. MOVE|NYC| is celebrating its 10th Anniversary as a leading-edge New York City based arts and social justice organization whose mission is to cultivate greater diversity and equity in the dance field and beyond.
YoungArts Award winners are selected through a highly competitive application process, which is reviewed by panels of esteemed, discipline-specific artists. The 2025 winners join a distinguished community of artists who are offered creative and professional development support throughout their careers.
“We are thrilled to congratulate the MOVE|NYC| dancers who have won the 2025 National YoungArts Awards. YoungArts is one of the nation's premier recognition and talent search programs for young artists. Winners are among the most accomplished artists of their time,” said Chanel DaSilva, MOVE|NYC| Co-Founder & CEO of Strategy & New Initiatives.
As teenagers, MOVE|NYC| Co-Founders, Nigel Campbell, Artistic Director & CEO of Programming & Artist Development, and Chanel DaSilva, CEO of Strategy & New Initiatives, were both recipients of National YoungArts Awards.
“As a YoungArts Award winner, I know the impact this Award can make on your future and the support throughout your career,” Chanel explained. “We are so proud that MOVE|NYC| has had 24 young winners since 2019.”
“By giving our MOVE|NYC| dancers the foundation to compete for the YoungArts Awards, we are supporting their dreams and ambitions and opening doors to new opportunities,” Nigel said. “Dance taught me to be a fighter. Every step of the way, you have to decide if you are going to let people decide for you what your capacity is, and that takes a fight. We hope to inspire our young dancers to fight to achieve their personal goals.”
“Being recognized as a YoungArts winner is more than just receiving an award. It is an incredible honor that reflects my unwavering love for my art form,” said Ava-Nicole Fincher, MOVE|NYC| dancer from Brooklyn. “This recognition serves as a reminder that my voice matters and that I have the power to significantly impact the present and future. It is opening doors to new opportunities and inspiring me to keep moving forward. I am extremely grateful for this recognition and the support I have received along the way,” she said.
“I am truly honored to have been awarded the title of 2025 YoungArts winner in Modern/Contemporary Dance,” said Alannah Vass, MOVE|NYC| dancer from Brooklyn. “This recognition is deeply validating, affirming all the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice I've put into my artistry. To be acknowledged alongside so many talented artists is both humbling and inspiring, and it motivates me to embrace the next steps in my dance journey with even greater focus and passion,” she said.
MOVE|NYC| focuses on shaping the next generation of dance artists and leaders by providing 100% tuition-free artistic training, mentorship and professional development and presenting opportunities
YoungArts Award winners have demonstrated exceptional technique, a strong sense of artistry, and an extraordinary commitment to developing their craft. This year, winners were selected from nearly 11,000 applications across 10 artistic disciplines including dance.
“Being recognized as a YoungArts winner affirms that I'm on the right path, and all the hard work and training I've put in is bringing me closer to the career I envision for myself,” said Keith Hinds, MOVE|NYC| dancer from Staten Island. “The opportunity to choreograph, perform, apply, and receive this recognition is incredibly meaningful—especially as a young choreographer. I'm deeply grateful to all who have guided me on this path,” he said.
“Being recognized as a YoungArts winner in Dance is an incredible honor for which I will always be grateful. This recognition represents not only a personal achievement but also a validation of the countless hours I've dedicated to honing my craft,” said, MOVE|NYC| dancer Ava-Rachel Lieber of Livingston, New Jersey. “Being acknowledged at the national level, highlights the hard work, perseverance, and passion that I have poured into my technique and artistry. I recognize that winning this level of recognition is also a reflection of the amazing training, mentorship and support I have been fortunate to receive over the years. Because of YoungArts, I now feel even more inspired to strive for excellence, to keep exploring new creative avenues, and to never give up,” she said.
Comments
Videos