On Friday, November 17 seven notable and respected New York City business and community leaders will bring their best dance moves to the floor at the Kumble Theater for the 8th Annual Stars of New York Dance competition. Every year, the lively and hilariously fun dance-off competition brings the community together to raise dance education funds for children from low-income communities, to help them develop discipline, confidence and self-esteem to succeed in school and in life.
Returning as host for the eight year in a row is Errol Louis of NY1 News. This year's event will honor actor, musician and educator Malik Yoba who will receive the Stellar Humanitarian Award for his contributions to New York City's culture, community and children.
"Earth without art is just 'eh'. I didn't make that up but it expresses my sentiment. Places in the world without opportunities to express ones self creatively and artistically breed war mongers, terror and intolerance," said Malik Yoba. "For me, theater has always been the laboratory of life. Without the arts, I'd have no reason to exist."
Similar to Dancing with the Stars, seven New York City leaders ("The Stars") will partner with seven professional dance artists ("The Dancers") who teach and perform with a community-based dance organization around NYC. The Stars engage in weeks of rigorous dance training to learn a three- to four- minute routine choreographed by their dance partner.
The night of the event, the seven couples compete to perform the fiercest dance duet and are judged on originality, creativity, technique, showmanship and costumes. The couple that receives the highest judged score wins a $5,000 Dance Access Award to provide five or more children from low-income communities in New York City with a free year of high-quality dance education and training with their dance partner's organization. The other competing dance organizations receive a $1,000 Dance Access Award that pays for dance tuition fees, class uniforms, shoes and dance costumes. Everyone wins.
This year's fierce contestants include:
- Carla Hall, daytime TV host
- New York State Senator Jesse Hamilton, 20th Senate District, Brooklyn
- Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH, deputy commissioner and founding director, Center for Health Equity, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Patricia Robinson, director of operations, Emmis Communications (Hot 97, WBLS FM, WLIB FM)
- Jeffrey Noble, master healer + founder/CEO, The Noble Touch
- Lu-Shawn Thompson, philanthropist, fundraising strategist, wife of the late Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson
- Stacey Cummings, event curator, B.Stacey Events
"I'm grateful to artists like Malik Yoba and leaders like the ones dancing this year who tangibly give back to help our children reach their full potential," said Cheryl Todmann, founder and executive producer of The Stars of New York Dance.
Since its inception in 2010, The Stars of New York Dance has provided more than 6,600 hours of free dance education and training to NYC children and has engaged more than 100 leaders to dance.
8th Annual The Stars of New York Dance Competition
When: Friday, November 17 | 5:30pm VIP cocktail reception; 7:00pm dance competition
Where: Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts, One University Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Tickets: General Admission Tickets:$75 (general admission); $125 (VIP tickets, including VIP seating and VIP cocktail reception). Purchase tickets online.
