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Nicole Smith wins coveted YoungArts Scholarship

Nicole Smith was one of 21 dance finalists out of 11 thousand applicants to receive a coveted scholarship from the National YoungArts Foundation. Nicole Smith was flown to Miami for a week of life changing experiences with some of the best young dancers in the country. 

Loomis resident, Nicole Smith (17), had the opportunity to participate in YoungArts programs “designed to support young artists at critical junctures in their careers and to encourage them to pursue a life in the arts.” National YoungArts Week was held in Miami January 4th-11th 2015. As a dance finalist, Nicole had the opportunity to participate in the YoungArts Ball honoring YoungArts Alumni Josh Groban and Chris Young.

Nicole credits the experience and the scholarship to the training she received from her teachers at Northern California Dance Conservatory in Roseville. She began her ballet training at NCDC about 4 years ago, and has since dedicated her life to dance, training intensively five to six days a week. “Nicole’s achievements are well earned,” says Jen Bradford Artistic Director of NCDC. “Nicole has an innate passion for dance. She has an incredible work ethic and is deeply committed to her training. Not only is Nicole a beautiful and talented dancer, she is a kind, loving and compassionate spirit and is loved and respected by her teachers and peers.”

The experience was life changing for the young dancer. “Young arts changed my life. They weren’t kidding when they told us it was going to be the best week of our lives. I am extremely grateful that I was fortunate enough to be selected as a finalist to attend. Traveling alone across the country to Miami, I was very nervous, but after only a couple hours there, I knew I would be forever changed. My favorite part about Young arts week was getting to know all the other finalists and learning from all the amazing talent that surrounded me. I feel that it made me more confident in my abilities and opened me up to trying new things and learning from art forms other than just dance. We became like a family, and I will cherish this experience for the rest of my life. “

Northern California Dance Conservatory is owned and operated by Jen Bradford. Through her artistic vision and aim for excellence, NCDC has produced California’s most accomplished dancers and has garnered a reputation that is proclaimed world-wide. You can watch Nicole perform her contemporary solo at the YoungArts Dance Finalist performance at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPjwp5vHUpg&feature=youtu.be