Two Brooklyn teenagers on Tuesday were recognized as one of the best dancers across the nation.
Brooklyn dancers Ava-Nicole Fincher and Alannah Vass, both 17, are 2025 National YoungArts award winners, according to a press release. The dancers, students at MOVE|NYC|, won the award among nearly 11,000 competitors across 10 artistic disciplines.
The Brooklynites won alongside one other city dancer, Keith Hinds, 16, from Staten Island, among others.
Fincher said the win not only demonstrated her passion for her art form, but it also empowered her to use her voice to "significantly impact the present and future."
“Being recognized as a YoungArts winner is more than just receiving an award," she said. "It is an incredible honor that reflects my unwavering love for my art form. This recognition serves as a reminder that my voice matters and that I have the power to significantly impact the present and future. It is opening doors to new opportunities and inspiring me to keep moving forward," she said.
Vass said the award was testament to her hard work.
“This recognition is deeply validating, affirming all the hard work, dedication and sacrifice I’ve put into my artistry," Vass said. "To be acknowledged alongside so many talented artists is both humbling and inspiring, and it motivates me to embrace the next steps in my dance journey with even greater focus and passion."
MOVE|NYC| is a New York City-based arts and social justice organization that provides tuition-free artistic training, mentorship and professional development for young and emerging artists.
