St. Louis Teen Talent Competition Kicks Off its 6th Year

ST. LOUIS - Jan. 12, 2016 - PRLog -- Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation (http://www.foxpacf.org/) (FPACF) is pleased to announce that the 6^th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition will begin Saturday, January 30 and Sunday, January 31, 2016 with 210 performers taking the stage in the preliminary round of competition (a complete list of students/schools can be found here).  “We have been elated with the ongoing response to this event from students, parents, arts organizations and the community.  The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation is happy to be able to provide the opportunity for students to perform at the Fox and on other stages around St. Louis. We’re delighted that we are able to put talented young people in the spotlight,” said Mary Strauss, President of the FPACF Board of Directors.

The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation reintroduced the St. Louis Teen Talent Competition in 2011 to showcase the St. Louis region’s most talented teens in the performing arts.  The 2015 winner was Tiala Taylor, a contemporary dancer from Ft. Zumwalt North High School.  Student acts may enter as soloists or in groups up to six people.

This year’s entries represent 77 schools in the bi-state metropolitan area (63 MO/14 IL) plus homeschoolers and include acts showcasing a variety of talents including a comedian, ballet dancers, singers, and a banjo player.

Each round and location will have a panel of at least three judges who will adjudicate and advance acts to the next round of competition. Judges for the Preliminary and Semi-final rounds are arts professionals from the St. Louis region who are asked to give each act constructive, verbal feedback immediately after they perform.  Miano.tv produces videos of the competition process which will be available on our YouTube and SchoolTube channels.  Stories from the past five years are currently posted and provide viewers a glimpse of what the competition is all about.

Judges for the first two rounds of competition will again include an impressive cross section of professionals from the St. Louis performing arts community.  A complete list of preliminary round judges is available on the FPACF website.

The two days of preliminary competition, at three separate locations (Ritenour High School, Nerinx Hall High School, and University of Missouri – St. Louis), will narrow the field from 153 to 35 acts.  These acts will then compete in the Semi-finals on Saturday, March 5th at St. Louis Community College-Meramec where the final 12 acts will be chosen to compete on The Fabulous Fox stage as part of a professionally produced show on Saturday, April 23, 2016. This final event at The Fabulous Fox is free and open to the public.  A total of more than $30,000 in scholarships and prizes will be distributed among the top competitors.  Additionally, students are eligible for scholarships from Lindenwood University, Webster University, UMSL and Southeast Missouri State University plus gift certificates, special awards and other prizes.  A full list can be found on the FPACF website.

Finalists will also be provided unique performance opportunities within the St. Louis area arranged by FPACF and by request.  Finalists from prior years have showcased their talents at The Muny, with the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis, Winter Opera, at the Sheldon Concert Hall, Shakespeare Festival Green Show in Forest Park, Six Flags – St. Louis, Taste of Maplewood, Let Them Eat Art, and Fair St. Louis.

Registration for this competition was free and open to all high school students in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.  This event showcases the most talented teens in our region who excel in the performing arts.  Contestants must be enrolled in the 9^th through 12^th grades in the 2015-2016 school year and must attend a high school/home school within a 50-mile radius from the Arch.

Complete guidelines and information about the 6th Annual 2016 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition can be found on the Foundation’s website as well as on the FPACF Facebook page.  The community response to this FREE event has been amazing and grown over the past five years with “sold out” crowds at The Fox.  Additionally, each year 120,000 viewers have watched the Nine Network’s hour-long program on the competition.   We are pleased to announce that The Nine Network will once again broadcast an hour-long program on the 2016 competition.

Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation fosters, promotes, and encourages young people in the St. Louis region to discover and participate in the joy and wonder of live performances.

FoxPACF.org (http://www.foxpacf.org/teen-talent-showcase.aspx)