Many young dancers dream of pursuing a career in dance, and their journey begins when they step onto the stage at the New York City Dance Alliance. “Since I founded the NYCDA over 30 years ago, my priority has always been education,” explains Joe Lanteri, founder and executive director of the NYCDA. “The goal has always been to provide students with greater access, visibility, and training opportunities in the professional world of dance.” With intensive courses, college auditions, workshops with industry leaders, professional training scholarships, and the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation (a nonprofit organization that provides high school seniors with scholarships to study performing arts at the school of their choice), the NYCDA is far more than just a typical dance conference—it’s a community of professionals that helps dancers bridge the gap between the worlds of competitive, collegiate, and professional dance.

“Our commitment extends beyond the end of a convention weekend and, in many ways, even beyond high school graduation,” Lanteri says. “With all the resources we have at our disposal, I feel a responsibility to give students the tools and confidence they need to figure out what stage is right for them and help them find it and succeed in it.”

The NYCDA network spans the globe, and its graduates dance in everything from Broadway shows to prestigious ballet and contemporary companies. Below, two former students share how NYCDA helped them launch their dance careers.

Delaney Washington

Ensemble member, Dance Theatre of Harlem

Delaney Washington grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and attended NYCDA regional events every year from age 9 to 18. “I remember the teachers there always preparing us for what auditions or rehearsals would be like in the real, professional world,” says Washington. At 14, she won an NYCDA scholarship to attend Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s summer intensive. “As a black girl, a lot of people pushed me toward hip-hop and commercial dance because they saw people of color there,” says Washington. “Joe was really the first person to see a ballet dancer in me and helped open my eyes to the world of contemporary ballet.” Lanteri’s keen eye for the unique potential of dancers proved spot on: Washington received additional NYCDA scholarships to attend Complexions’ intensive every summer during high school.

During her senior year, Washington competed in the NYCDA National College Scholarship Audition and received a scholarship from the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation, which she applied to the Ailey/Fordham Bachelor of Fine Arts Program. “We now have 15 college partners and growing, all of whom participate in our annual audition to recruit and financially support our rising seniors and senior year dancers,” Lanteri explains. “Last year, 347 dancers auditioned, the NYCDAF awarded $420,000 in scholarships to 52 graduating seniors, and 13 of our partners offered $25,242,000 in scholarships to 174 rising seniors.” Thanks to the NYCDA, Washington’s transition from competitive kid to college student was seamless. “During my years at the NYCDA, I met so many dancers who ended up dancing in NYC that when I moved there, I felt like I already had a family,” she says.

Washington’s connections with the NYCDA continued to support her after college. “Joe had also put me in touch with Courtney Celeste Spears, a member of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company and NYCDA assistant who had attended Fordham, and she became one of my mentors,” Washington says. Under Spears’ guidance, Washington became a member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem while also completing her senior year of college; she is now in her fourth season. “You can’t stay in the convention world forever,” Washington says. “NYCDA makes sure you have the connections and opportunities to take your first steps into the real world.”

Robert Steele

Ensemble, Broadway MJ: The Musical

Ryan Steele grew up in a dance studio outside Detroit, Michigan, and attended NYCDA in middle school. “Even as a kid in junior ballroom, I noticed that NYCDA was a special place to learn,” he says. “The faculty wasn’t just about teaching the dancers technique; they instilled a real passion for dance.”

When Steele was a senior in high school, he got a call from Lanteri about an audition for the Broadway revival of West Side Story. “Over the years, many Broadway and national tours such as Billy Elliot And Matilda To Newspaper boys and more have brought in casting directors who scout young talent at NYCDA events,” explains Lanteri. “When I heard that the team for West Side Story saw, Ryan immediately came to mind. I called and he went out and made it happen.”

For Lanteri, the most rewarding part of the job is watching NYCDA dancers like Steele develop into mature, kind and knowledgeable professionals. “We strive to change the mindset of dancers so that it’s not about winning at competitions, but rather about becoming the best dancers and people they can be,” he says. “The opportunities we provide are life-changing, but our goal is always to educate; even dancers who don’t get a job or a scholarship have come back to share how their time at NYCDA prepared them for a real-world experience.”

Since Steele’s first appearance, he has completed a number of Broadway and national tours, including Newspaper boys, carousel,And Once upon a time. Steele is currently playing on Broadway MJ: The Musical; the show’s dance director, Kali May Grinder, also happens to be a former NYCDA standout dancer. For Steele, it’s a pretty regular occurrence. “The NYCDA creates this huge network of friendships and professional contacts, so every audition I go to, there are bound to be NYCDA alumni in the room,” he says. “Numerous dancers have gone on to attend this convention and competition and made a career out of it. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today if the NYCDA hadn’t given me that first opportunity.”

Click here to view the NYCDA’s 2025-2026 Regional Championship schedule.