NYCDFA Hosts PRELUDE Tonight At The Joyce

What better way to celebrate the launch of a new foundation dedicated to the future of dance than by putting on a giant dance show? Which is exactly what the newly established New York City Dance Alliance Foundation has in the works for tonight, December 27 at The Joyce Theater at 175 8th Avenue. Entitled PRELUDE and hosted by Joe Lanteri, NYCDAF's Executive Director, the festivities begin at 7:30pm. Cancellations have made $25.00 tickets available beginning at 5:30pm.

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The more than 25 professional dancers performing in support of the careers of emerging dancers include members of Parsons Dance, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as well as Dusty Button from the Birmingham Royal Ballet and

Christian Tworzyanski from New York City Ballet. Miguel Quinones of Parsons Dance will perform David Parsons' "Caught;" Michael Cook will partner Natalia Magnicaballi in George Balanchine's "Meditation;" and Cedar Lake Artistic Director Benoit-Swan Pouffer will create a new work for Cedar Lake company member/NYCDA alum Jon Bond. (Additional information about the program to come.)

Created to provide college scholarships for exceptionally gifted young dancers across the United States, NYCDAF plans to award $1 million in aid for the coming year through its collaborations with the University of the Arts, Point Park University and Marymount Manhattan College. The money raised from The Joyce Theater performance ticket sales will be donated to the NYCDAF efforts.

The Foundation adds another dimension to the work of the New York City Dance Alliance, which is committed to raising the standards of dance education for young people. NYCDA has for the past 16 years exposed dance students and their teachers to professional levels of ballet, jazz, contemporary and tap technique and performance through weekend dance conventions comprised of workshops and adjudicated showcase performances. Its alumni list is long, studded with prestigious names and affiliations including Tiler Peck, Robert Fairchild and Christian Tworzyanski (New York City Ballet); Clifton Brown (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater); Bret Easterling (Batsheva Dance Company); Whitney Jensen (Boston Ballet); Jacob Clemente (star of Broadway's "Billy Elliot"); Derek Hough and Chelsea Hightower ("Dancing with the Stars"); and Travis Wall ("So You Think You Can Dance").