Twenty-three young dancers from a local studio are headed to New York City to perform at the prestigious Chita Rivera Awards later this month.
The dancers, who range in age from 11 to 23 and come from across Bucks County, are students at The Dance Ground in Newtown Township. They will perform a piece choreographed by the studio’s co-artistic directors, who are siblings André Jovovich and Priscilla Garner, as they close out the show next week that will honor Broadway performer Ben Vereen with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
“It’s just coming all full circle,” said Liz Jovovich, owner of The Dance Ground.
The Chita Rivera Awards is the only event dedicated exclusively to dance, recognizing and celebrating Broadway dancers, choreographers, and performers in both stage and film.
For the young performers, many of whom already dedicate 20 hours weekly to training, the performance opportunity offers a rare chance to share the stage with Broadway professionals.
“Students that are up and coming and train and some that aspire to be a dancer, it’s an amazing opportunity for them because they actually get to be on a stage and perform where Broadway dancers, singers, choreographers, directors are,” Jovovich explained.
The invitation arrived just seven and a half weeks before the performance date, setting off a flurry of preparation and fundraising.
In that short period, the studio has successfully raised more than $30,000 to support the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation, which provides college scholarships to aspiring dancers.
“We have managed to find supporters and donors. We are a little over $30,000 right now,” Jovovich said. “It’s been like an incredible journey. Honestly, I say that it’s almost magical.”
The Dance Ground has a long-standing connection with the NYCDA Foundation, with several former students having benefited from its scholarship programs. Jovovich recalled one dancer who received a full scholarship to the University of the Arts around 2010, while others have received significant financial aid for their education.
“We’ve had dancers in the past that have benefited from this organization, which is why I’m so passionate about supporting it for the future dancers and generations to come,” Jovovich stated.
Preparing for the performance has demanded dedication from both the dancers and their families.
In addition to their already rigorous training schedules, the dancers have added four to six extra hours of rehearsal each week, Jovovich said.
“These kids train. They train hard, they’re dedicated, they’re committed, they’re disciplined,” Jovovich said. “Think of being in a studio 20 hours, and now you need to pile four to six more hours on top of that.”
The Dance Ground relocated to Newtown Township in 2021 after nearly 14 years at the Oxford Valley Mall in Middletown Township. The move occurred as their lease ended and after navigating the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic when they transitioned to online instruction.
The studio has cultivated a reputation for providing high-caliber dance training, with alumni now performing on Broadway and with dance companies across Europe, according to Jovovich.
The studio’s ties to the professional dance world are significant.
Jovovich mentioned one of her earliest students, who began training at age 3, went on to a professional dance career in Japan and even performed with Cher before pursuing another path. That former student’s daughter is now training at The Dance Ground.
“There’s so many full circles going on here,” Jovovich remarked. “It’s a very brilliant opportunity for them.”
The dancers are scheduled to travel to New York on May 18 for a technical rehearsal, where they will focus on staging, placement, and lighting before their performance the following day.
As the performance draws near, the studio’s attention is on refining the choreography.
“Now we’re at the point it’s completely choreographed, but we need what we call detail and cleaning from now until next Monday, the 19th, when they perform,” Jovovich explained.
For Jovovich and the entire Dance Ground community, the invitation to perform at the Chita Rivera Awards represents both a recognition of their dancers’ talent and a chance to support future generations of performers through their fundraising efforts.
“The cool thing is our dancers now are learning how to support fellow dancers as well,” Jovovich said. “It’s just a great thing. We’re just excited that everyone gets to do this.”
Advertisement
Meet Your Canna Coach: Personalized Guidance, Free for You!
