Seven young, aspiring dancers had their hard work rewarded last weekend when each received a Catherine Zeta Jones scholarship at the end of the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda's three-week summer intensive programme, DanceBermuda. The scholarships will pay for their tuition at the 2009 summer intensive.

The assessments were made by faculty of the American Ballet Theatre, and the scholarships were presented on City Hall stage at the conclusion of the final DanceBermuda workshop performance by Alan Thompson, CEO of Butterfield Bank.

The winners, together with the instructors' comments, are as follows:

Precious Adams (13). Beautifully gifted, and possesses a unique presence and physicality beyond her years. A joy to watch.

Cydney Caesar-Forde (nine). A young talent who had vividly demonstrated great potential as a young dancer and artist.

Brittney Ferreira (12). Has shown kindness, generosity of spirit, and a strong work ethic, and made great technical strides during the 2008 programme.

Ashley Martins (13). Her ability to apply corrections, and her eagerness to improve, was apparent in class, and transferred into her performances.

Rebecca McLauchlan (13). Her natural line and physicality, as well as her work ethic and spirit, make for a promising future in dance.

Kyle Scheurich (15). brings focus and intelligence to his dance work. He is a delight to both his peers and his teachers.

Crystal Smith (17). A strong leader. Her versatility, and open approach in class, makes her a pleasure to work with, and a shining example for others.