Ballet Hispánico School of Dance announces that applications for the Pa'lante Scholars Professional Studies Program 2022-2023 school year are now open. The tuition-free program is for students ages 18-25 who wish to pursue a professional career in dance. Classes will be held August 29, 2022 through May 26, 2023, Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM, with some performances taking place on weekends. The application deadline is Friday, April 1, 2022. For more information and to apply, visit ballethispanico.org/school/school-year-programs/palante-scholars.

 

Program Description:

For over fifty years Ballet Hispánico has been a platform for Black and Brown youth to find their dreams in the dance world. We have made it our mission to shine a spotlight on these talented young dancers, uplifting their voices and ultimately creating a central place for them on the world's foremost stages. The Ballet Hispánico legacy is intrinsically tied to these students' lived experiences. As an organization we face a renaissance period of growth and revitalization, and we seek now to build on this legacy of access and inclusion, emboldened by our success to in turn create more opportunities to empower our youth. We are therefore thrilled to announce a second year of the Pa'lanta Scholars Program. 

 

The Pa'lante Scholars program was launched in 2021 as an innovative, tuition-free professional studies program designed to bridge the gap between the pre-professional and professional stages of a dancer's career. Ballet Hispánico is answering the need for more career-centered programs that build artistry and leadership for our communities, without the financial burden often tied to tuition costs for professional development. We believe that a talented young dancer should never be held back by financial strain. Removing the financial barrier to professional training will in turn ensure young dancers can pursue artistic careers without the burden of debt from tuition. The impact of this vision will be reflected as dancers are better able to flourish in their artistic careers, ultimately strengthening recognition and representation of Latinx dancers in the field.

 

The program immerses selected dancers into a professional intensive focusing on artistry development through a full-day, comprehensive curriculum which includes but is not limited to daily ballet and contemporary technique classes, master classes in Spanish Dance, Screen, Latin Rhythms, floor work, modern dance, and more, along with professional development seminars on such topics as nutrition, personal advocacy, financial planning and literacy, and other life/work skills coaching. While focusing on the professionalism needed to succeed in the dance world, dancers will have the opportunity to learn and perform select pieces of Ballet Hispánico's renowned company repertory as well as original works created by accomplished choreographers in the field. Each dancer will have the opportunity to have individualized coaching and mentorship in rehearsals from the director of the program, as well as other members of the Ballet Hispánico artistic team including the Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro. 

 

With this holistic approach, the Pa'lante Scholars will not only strengthen and enhance technical skills but will dive deeper into each Scholar's evolution as a professional dancer and the sensibility required in their professional work.

 

To be considered, interested dancers ages 18-25 are required to submit the following materials through the application form by Friday, April 1, 2022, 11:59pm EST:

 

Application Materials:

1. Headshot

2. Resume (1 page max) - include at least 2 references.

3. Letter(s) of Recommendation (1 minimum, may submit more) - attesting to applicant's work ethic, ability to work in a group, professionalism, maturity, and artistry.

4. Essay (written or video) - expressing applicant's goals, reason(s) for applying, ability to support costs of living in NYC, and why they are a good fit for the program.

5. Video (wide-shot, 2min sample) - demonstrating Ballet and Contemporary with minimal editing.

 

If accepted, Pa'lante Scholar dancers are required to commit to the full academic year in order to participate. Spaces are limited to maintain the integrity of a company-life experience. No more than 20 will be accepted. Housing is not provided. All applicants must be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19 in order to participate in the program. Housing is not provided, students are expected to secure their own housing. In order to participate in the program, all applicants must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (including a booster shot) and provide proof of U.S. Citizenship, green card, permanent residency, and/or valid visa for the duration of the program (BH is not currently able to offer support with student visas).

 

Recent highlights of the 2021-2022 Pa'lante Scholars include a performance in the 2021 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and scholar Nina Basu and Laura Perich starring in Doña Perón as Young Evita. There will also be the Pa'lante Scholars Spring Concert, a public showcase on May 6 & 7, 2022 at 7pm and on May 8, 2022 at 1pm & 6pm. This Concert will be featuring New Works by Juan Rodriguez and Tsai-Hsi Hung.

 

About Ballet Hispánico

Ballet Hispánico has been the leading voice intersecting artistic excellence and advocacy and is now the largest Latinx cultural organization in the United States and one of America's Cultural Treasures. Ballet Hispánico brings communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through innovative dance productions, transformative dance training, and enduring community engagement experiences. National Medal of Arts recipient Tina Ramirez founded Ballet Hispánico in 1970, at the height of the post-war civil rights movements. From its inception Ballet Hispánico focused on providing a haven for Black and Brown Latinx youth and families seeking artistic place and cultural sanctuary. By providing the space for Latinx dance and dancers to flourish, Ballet Hispánico uplifted marginalized emerging and working artists, which combined with the training, authenticity of voice, and power of representation, fueled the organization's roots and trajectory. In 2009, Ballet Hispánico welcomed Eduardo Vilaro as its Artistic Director, ushering in a new era by inserting fresh energy to the company's founding values and leading Ballet Hispánico into an artistically vibrant future. Today, Ballet Hispánico's New York City headquarters house a School of Dance and state-of-the-art dance studios for its programs and the arts community. From its grassroots origins as a dance school and community-based performing arts troupe, for fifty years Ballet Hispánico has stood as a catalyst for social change. Ballet Hispánico provides the physical home and cultural heart for Latinx dance in the United States. Ballet Hispánico has developed a robust public presence across its three main programs: its Company, School of Dance, and Community Arts Partnerships. Through its exemplary artistry, distinguished training program, and deep-rooted community engagement efforts Ballet Hispánico champions and amplifies underrepresented voices in the field. For fifty years Ballet Hispánico has provided a place of honor for the omitted, overlooked, and oppressed. As it looks to the next fifty years and beyond, Ballet Hispánico seeks to empower, and give agency to, the Latinx experience and those individuals within it.