Ten outstanding students of the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda?s (NDFB) 2005 international summer dance institute, Dance Bermuda, were thrilled to learn yesterday they were the first recipients of the newly established Catherine Zeta-Jones Scholarship, which will provide them with full tuition in next year?s programme.

The announcement of the scholarship and its recipients was made personally by the Hollywood actress and Bermuda resident, to rapturous applause from the large audience, at the conclusion of an hour-long presentation by the students at City Hall theatre.

?As a member of the board of directors of the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda, and as a member of the Bermuda community, I am committed to supporting the Foundation?s objective of providing world-class training to Bermuda?s talented dancers,? Miss Zeta-Jones said. ?Dance requires focus, determination and commitment, qualities that will stand all of these young people in good stead regardless of the career they ultimately choose.

?I know that one way I can show my support is to assist young dancers with the cost of their training. So I am delighted to be able to provide funding for these talented young men and women, all of whom have demonstrated exemplary character traits as well as significant dance potential during the three-week summer intensive.?

The ten students were chosen by five teachers from the faculty of American Ballet Theatre (ABT), who have been in Bermuda for the past three weeks teaching classes in classical and contemporary ballet, modern, jazz and hip-hop at dance studios at the Bermuda High School. The ABT teachers chose the students on the basis of their strong potential, commitment, work ethic and attitude.

The five scholarship winners from Bermuda are 17, , 21, , 10, 11, and , 17.

Other winners were: Darius Barnes, 17, of Baltimore, Ryan Cardea, 16, of New York, Jacquelyn Damico, 17, of Pennsylvania, Jenny Johnson, 12, of Montana and Justin Melvin, 16, of Newark, New Jersey,