Texas Native Now Training in NYC Wins National EN POINTE: Classical Ballet

Competition

A Texas native, who ventured to New York City at age 17 to pursue her dream of becoming a
professional ballet dancer, won first place and $12,000 in the National Society of Arts and Letters
(NSAL) national EN POINTE: Classical Ballet Competition held in Boca Raton, Florida. Five
dancers collected $31,000 in prize money sponsored by the National Society of Arts and Letters.

Boca Raton, FL, June 07, 2017 --(PR.com)-- A Texas native, who ventured to New York City at age 17
to pursue her dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer, won first place and $12,000 in the National
Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL) ENPOINTE: Classical Ballet Competition in Boca Raton.

Winners of the national competition were announced at the conclusion of a week-long NSAL Annual
Meeting during the Red Rose National Awards Gala, hosted by the Florida East Coast Chapter on
Saturday, June 3 at Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club in Boca Raton. The organization awarded $31,000
to five top dancers selected by a panel of highly esteemed judges from the world of classical dance.

Nineteen year-old Gillian Fitz stood out in a field of 16 dancers (ages 16-21) representing NSAL chapters
across the country during the competition at Florida Atlantic University Friday, June 2. Fitz, who
represented NSAL's Greater New York Area Chapter, performed a Variation from Paquita. She currently
trains at Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program in New York City and has attended a variety of
ballet programs, including Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and The School of American Ballet.

The second place George Balanchine Award and $8,000 went to Juliet Doherty of the Greater Arizona
Chapter. Doherty's early training in New Mexico led to a full scholarship at the San Francisco Ballet
School. She has performed at Lincoln Center in New York City and toured with the world famous Radio
City Rockettes.

Local competitor, Sophie Miklosovic, of Pompano Beach and a ballet student at The Art of Classical
Ballet in Pompano Beach, took home the Third Place Marina Svetlova Award and $6,000. Miklosovic,
who represented NSAL's Florida East Coast Chapter, has toured nationally with New York City Dance
Alliance, and trained in summer programs at Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and Next
Generation Ballet Program in Tampa.

The Fourth Place Mary Peery Fife Award and $4,000 went to Roland Jones, from the Washington, D.C
Chapter. Jones currently studies at the Maryland Youth Ballet and will attend Boston Ballet's intensive
program on a full scholarship this summer. Honorable mention and $1,000 went to Masanori Takiguchi
with the Pittsburgh Chapter. He began training at age six and has attended ballet programs in China,
Germany, Austria and currently Pittsburgh.

One of the most celebrated choreographers in the world, Christopher Wheeldon, was among the judges
who selected the ballet competition winners. He was joined by Artistic Director of American Ballet
Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, Cynthia Harvey, Executive Artistic Director of New

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York's Eglevsky Ballet Company, Maurice Brandon Curry, and internationally-acclaimed Dance
Photographer Steven Caras.

Saturday night's Red Rose National Awards Gala capped off a week of cultural events for the 73rd
Annual Meeting of the National Society of Arts and Letters which drew hundreds of NSAL members
from around the country to Palm Beach County. The EN POINTE: Classical Ballet Competition served as
a highlight of the week.

Recognizing and developing the artist within has been at the core of the nonprofit National Society of
Arts and Letters (NSAL) since its founding in Washington, D.C. in 1944. Today, volunteer chapters all
over the country are committed to discovering, mentoring and providing annual scholarships and
competitions for talented young artists to pursue their creative dreams in the areas of Art, Dance, Drama,
Literature, Music and Musical Theatre. This year, the Florida East Coast Chapter of NSAL was afforded
the opportunity to shine a spotlight on what NSAL does and how the chapter, which spans from
Jacksonville to the Keys, promotes interest in the creative arts by working with talented young people at
the beginning of their careers and helping them to advance their creative opportunities. For more
information about the Florida East Coast Chapter, visit www.nsalfloridaeast.org.

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