Amidst the glitz and glamour of the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda's (NDFB) annual gala came news of a new scholarship for Bermuda's aspiring young dancers.

The NDFB and the Dizzy Feet Foundation are working on a relationship which will offer outstanding training opportunities to students in Bermuda and the US through the establishment of a co-branded master class series and a scholarship programme for boys.

The announcement was made by THE guest host of Saturday's event Nigel Lythgoe, co-creator and judge on mega-hit TV show, 'So You Think You Can Dance,' and co-founder of the Dizzy Feet Foundation.

"In the first instance, we will be establishing a co-branded series of master classes, which will be funded by (Bermuda reinsurers) PartnerRe," he said. "The Dizzy Feet Foundation will provide master teachers for workshops here in Bermuda, giving your talented dancers a chance to learn from some of the best instructors around."

Mr. Lythgoe said 'So You Think You Can Dance' choreographers and Dizzy Feet Foundation steering committee members Mia Michaels and Tyce Diorio are likely to be on the roster of instructors to come to Bermuda for the master class series. He said details of the scholarship programme will be announced in the coming weeks.

Mr. Lythgoe said the intent of the scholarship programme was to encourage all boys who want to dance.

"What a day it will be when dance does not carry the stigma that it does at the moment. I never remember that (being said) about Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Now it's, 'Is he gay?' Does it matter? There are lots of boys who want to dance, but sometimes they just need some added encouragement. The Dizzy Feet Foundation and the National Dance Foundation will be working out a way to make that happen."

The boys' scholarship programme will support five students chosen by the Dizzy Feet Foundation and American Ballet Theatre (ABT) to attend DanceBermuda, the three-week summer intensive run by the NDFB in partnership with ABT.

The Dizzy Feet Foundation is a non-profit organisation which not only provides scholarships and assistance to talented, under-served youth in the US to help them realise their dreams of becoming professional dancers, but also works to elevate and standardise dance instruction.

To reinforce his belief that dance provides an important and positive life experience for any individual, Mr. Lythgoe cited the example of a young drug addict who decided he wanted to dance, and auditioned for 'So You Think You Can Dance'.

"He looked like somebody from zombieland, and when I asked him to show me what he could do, he was terrible. He was told to go away and train. A few days ago, I saw him again, and he was amazing. For the past four years he has been working hard, looks good, and has been working to pay for his classes.

"The judges have given him a ticket to go through to the finals in Las Vegas, (where the top 20 contestants are chosen, and will compete on the TV show). That shows you what an impact dance has had on his life.

"Another student told me that if he wasn't dancing he'd either be shooting someone, or someone would be shooting him. That is why we are so desperate to pull these boys out of that life and put them into the arts."

Mr. Lythgoe, was invited to host this year's gala by NDFB patron and board member patron and board member Catherine Zeta-Jones, who was unable to host the event as she is appearing on Broadway in a revival of Stephen Sondheim's 'A Little Night Music'.

He told the audience: "My dream is to do 'So You Think You Can Dance Bermuda'. That would be really great," he said.

The galas have been a fixture of the NDFB calendar since 2005. Always black tie, and always glittering affairs, they are a major fund-raiser for the NDFB's DanceBermuda summer intensive programme.

In his closing remarks, NDFB chairman Don Kramer paid tribute to all those who had contributed to the success of a great evening, and noted that the registered charity had awarded $400,000 worth of scholarships and bursaries to aspiring Bermuda dance students since inception.