Festival of World Dance: #PAEtakesCarnegie2018

From Moscow to California, dance teams flocked to PAE’s “Festival of World Dance” held at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. Showcasing dance styles ranging from Bollywood to Irish Jig to hula, each group highlighted their own cultural flare, which made for a fascinating culmination of ethic pizazz. 
Starting at 8:00 am sharp dance troupes from around the globe unloaded from their buses and entered the iconic Carnegie Hall stage door. Giddy with excitement, dancers as young as five years old began preparing for the afternoon’s performance. Each team practiced their pieces on stage and then began putting on costumes and stage makeup. 

By 2:00 pm, the stage management was set. The dancers were ready. It was showtime! One by one each team gave it their all and refused to crumble under the pressure of one of the most prestigious stages in the world. Captivating the audience with diverse genres of dance, the show marked a career highpoint for many pre-professional performers as they leaped and turned across the Stern Auditorium's Pearlman stage. 
​
To conclude, a rose ceremony was held acknowledging the dedication of each director. The 2018 Del Kieffner Award honored Joppa Dance’s Fontaine Dubus for her years of devotion to arts education, dance, and Performing Arts Educators. She serves as an example for dance teachers everywhere who strive to produce quality work and well-rounded performers.The production certainly celebrated diversity and excellence in the arts for PAE’s 12th year at Carnegie Hall.