even outstanding young dancers ? six girls and one boy ? had their hard work and dedication rewarded on when they received Catherine Zeta-Jones scholarships at the conclusion of DanceBermuda 2006, the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda?s (NDFB) summer intensive.

Bermudians Samantha Hollis, Safiya Nurse, Sara Gibbons, Shaydrina Hassell and Courtney Lopes, and New Yorker Jenna Lauter were the female recipients, while 13-year-old Kyle Scheurich of New York was the sole male recipient.

The coveted scholarships, established by the leading Hollywood actress and Bermuda resident, who is also a member of the NDFB board, are awarded to dancers who successfully fulfil specific criteria ? a strong work ethic, a positive and constructive attitude in and out of class, and clear development potential as a dancer ? and provide funding for them to attend DanceBermuda 2007.

In addition to the scholarships, four male dancers received special invitations to attend next year?s DanceBermuda summer intensive without having to audition first. They are Bermudians Jelani Veney and James Waddell, and Americans Roman Cruz and Javier Ubell.

The awards were made at the end of a workshop performance given by all students of the DanceBermuda and Young Dancer 2006 programmes. Each recipient was warmly embraced by surprise celebrity guest Travis Wall, this year?s runner-up to the title ?America?s Favourite Dancer? in the hot television show, ?So You Think You Can Dance?, on Fox.

To the delight of the audience, the dynamic Mr. Wall also performed a riveting solo at the conclusion of the students? performances.

In all, 55 students from Bermuda, America, Canada and Italy took part in this year?s three-week DanceBermuda summer intensive, during which they studied ballet, modern and jazz with faculty from the American Ballet Theatre under the artistic direction of Brian Reeder.

Thanks to generous sponsorship of the Ross (Blackie) Talbot Foundation, the NDFB was also able to offer for the first time a Young Dancers programme to a further 39 students during which their learning included technique, dance, music history, and character dancing.

Outlining the NDFB?s mission, chairman Donald Kramer said his board was ?committed to raising the standard of dance excellence in Bermuda?, and pointed out that the Foundation was neither a dance school nor a dance company.

?We provide the Island?s dance community with top-quality training by bringing some of the best teachers in the world to Bermuda.?

Generous contributions from companies and individuals support the work of the NDFB, as does its major, annual fund-raiser, ?An Evening with Catherine Zeta-Jones?.

DanceBermuda 2007 will take place from August 6 to 24, with auditions set for March 3, 10 and 17 in Bermuda, New York and Toronto.

?An Evening with Catherine Zeta-Jones? will be held at the Fairmont Southampton Resort on February 24.