American Dance Institute (ADI) Launches Scholarship Aimed At Increasing Racial Diversity In The Field
NEW YORK, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Dance Institute (ADI) is pleased to announce the ADI Future Artists Initiative (FAI), a new scholarship program aimed at increasing racial diversity in American dance. The application-based program, which will provide financial assistance for young dancers across the country, continues ADI's emergence as a national organization that constantly evaluates the needs of artists and fills gaps in the structures that exist to support them.
ADI Executive Director Adrienne Willis said, "We feel ADI's Future Artists Initiative will make a great impact on the future of the art form, ensuring the stages of tomorrow reflect the rich diversity of American talent."
ADI's Future Artists Initiative (FAI) aims to address the lack of racial diversity in dance—one of the most critical issues facing the field today—by providing flexible scholarships that cover a myriad of needs and offer multi-year support. FAI provides significant support to students who are pursuing pre-professional dance training with awards of up to $5,000 per year to students nominated by pre-professional dance schools. FAI scholarships supplement other scholarship awards to offset costs that would otherwise prevent the student from studying dance (tuition, housing, transportation, clothing, shoes, etc.) and continue throughout the awardee's pre-professional training.
In collaboration with Dance/USA and the International Association of Blacks in Dance, ADI identified 40 U.S. schools to nominate up to 10 students each (ages 12-18). Parents/Guardians of nominated students will then submit a separate application. ADI will select nominated students who demonstrate exceptional talent, have an excellent work ethic, show promise to excel in the professional dance field, and communicate a need for financial assistance to access high-quality dance training.
Denise Saunders Thompson, Chairperson and Executive Director of the International Association of Blacks in Dance, said, "ADI has taken a critical step and with clear authentic intention, filled a need for students allowing them to focus and truly concentrate their energies on the development and artistry of their craft without other worries."
During the Fall 2016 application cycle, a minimum of 8 students will be awarded FAI scholarships. The maximum scholarship award is $5,000 per student. Funds will be distributed to the nominating school to supplement otherwise available scholarships. Provided the student continues pre-professional training, awardees will continue to receive $5,000 per school year throughout their pre-professional training (through age 18).
Applications for Fall 2016 can be submitted as of March 1. Schools must make their nominations by 11:59pm EST on Friday, April 15. Parent/guardian applications are due by 11:59pm EST on Sunday, May 15. Awardees will be announced on June 15.
ADI conceived the Future Artists Initiative after undertaking a national study to better understand the lack of racial diversity in American dance. ADI sought the perspective of schools, students, and families through surveys sent to over 600 U.S. dance schools and interviews with leaders from schools that represent a broad range of training opportunities and geographic locations. Surgery results can be found at www.americandance.org/future-artists.
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SOURCE American Dance Institute
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