The Vilcek Foundation will award three Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Dance of $50,000 each to young, immigrant dancers, choreographers, and artistic directors who demonstrate outstanding early achievement in dance. Applications are open from now through June 11, 2021 at 5 pm ET.

The 2022 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Dance:
-Recognize and celebrate young foreign-born dance and movement artists
-Highlight the many ways that immigrants' contributions enrich our culture and society
-Provide valuable support to artists at a pivotal point in their career
-Dancers, choreographers, and artistic directors are eligible to apply
-Categories for consideration include ballet, ballroom, contemporary, cultural, jazz, modern, urban, and tap

Please read the following eligibility requirements carefully.

Applicants must:
-Have been born outside the United States of America to non-American parents.
-Not be more than 38 years old as of December 31, 2021 (born on or after January 1, 1983).
-Have lived in the United States for at least four years (or immigrated to the United States on or before December 31, 2017).
-Be one of the following: a naturalized citizen or a permanent resident of the United States; a H-1B or O-1 visa holder with a valid visa stamp; a H-4 visa holder with a valid EAD card; a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) relief; an asylee or an asylum seeker who has applied for asylum and has a valid EAD card.
-Have at least five years of professional experience in dance.
-Not be enrolled as a student (full-time or part-time).
-Have work presented in at least three paid professional engagements.
-Intend to pursue a career in the United States.
-Not be a past recipient of the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in any category.

Visit vilcek.co/danceobcpp2022 to access and complete your online application. Applications must be submitted by June 11, 2021, at 5pm ET.

You will be required to:

-Provide personal information
-Upload a PDF of your CV with a history of performances and other professional activities
-Upload a PDF with documentation of your valid immigration status
-Provide video work samples (up to 20 minutes)
-Provide up to 5 press clippings about your work
-Complete three essay questions

#1 Please describe your most important projects. We are interested in learning about the intention behind each of those projects, your artistic foundations, and creative approaches you developed based on your personal or professional path. (2,000 characters max)

#2 What do you hope to achieve through your work and how do you think it contributes to the development of dance as an art form? (2,000 characters max)

#3 Describe the circumstances of your immigration to the United States and how your experience as an immigrant informs and enriches your approach to dance. (1,500 characters max)

-Provide the names and contact information of 2 references
-Submit a completed application by 5:00pm EDT, June 11, 2021

A panel of distinguished jurors will evaluate the applications based on their excellence, innovation, and impact. The 2022 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise will honor dance professionals who exemplify excellence and creativity and whose work showcases the possibilities of dance as a language and a means of expression. The individuals chosen will have demonstrated exceptional independence and creativity by their 38th birthday.

Recommendations of the jury will be submitted to the Vilcek Foundation’s Board of Directors for final approval. All three winners will be considered equal in standing.

The winners of the 2022 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Dance will be announced in fall 2021. Prizewinners will be invited to attend the Vilcek Foundation’s annual awards ceremony in New York City in the spring of 2022. Travel expenses and accommodations will be covered by the foundation.