top of page

 

PROGRAMS

​

 

​

Culture Arts Initiative, Inc. benefits the community by focusing on young people who are under-represented in the dance world due to affordability, availability, or lack of exposure through two arts pillars:

 

* Merit and Talent Based Scholarship Programs.

* Community Outreach Performance and Educational Based programs. 

​

CAI's talent based scholarship award programs provide young people who have the talent, potential, and desire to pursue a professional career in dance with high quality dance training in Houston and throughout the United States. CAI's community outreach programs expose children to the arts by providing various performance and training opportunities for those who have little to no experience or exposure to the performing arts.

​

​

​

​

dressrehearsal-11.JPG

HOUSICAL THEATRE ARTS

HOUSICAL THEATRE ARTS



CAI’s HOUsical Theatre Arts program is a community outreach musical theatre program.  CAI hosts city-wide auditions to cast performers (ages 7-18) to perform in a full-scale musical theatre production.  Performers commit to up to 24 rehearsals and are taught drama, voice, and theatre dance by highly trained performing arts professionals.  This 12-16 week session will culminate with a musical theatre production that is open to the public.  Open Casting Calls are held twice per year.  CAI offers merit based scholarships to select performers who audition. No prior experience required to audition.

image_123986672_edited.png

Qualifications:

Must be 7-18 years old

Must Attend a HOUsical Theatre Arts in-person audition.

Must register online for the HOUsical Theatre Arts program.

No prior experience required.

BLACK SWAN PROJECT

BLACK SWAN PROJECT

 

 

 

 

The BLACK SWAN PROJECT is an independent study, talent-based scholarship program.  It provides underserved and under-represented young dancers who have the talent, potential, and desire to pursue a professional career in ballet with the financial support to receive high quality dance training in the Houston Metropolitan area.  Scholarship recipients are given a nine month rigorous and focus-driven professional dance curriculum that provides exceptional training at various dance training facilities throughout the city of Houston.  Students in this program will also be mentored by a Houston area dance professional and gain valuable performance experience by competing and performing at local community events.

Scholarship Qualifications:

12-18 years old

Must have classical ballet training

Must reside in the Houston Metro area

Must complete a ‘Black Swan Project” Application

Must have been a cast member of Houston's Urban Nutcracker or a CAI Workshop Intensive. 

SPONSOR a BLACK SWAN

 

SPREAD MY WINGS

Dance Intensive Scholarship

SPREAD MY WINGS

 

 

 

 

CAI's Spread My Wings Dance Intensive Scholarship is awarded to young dancers who have the talent, potential, and desire to study ballet throughout the country.  Financial support is given to the recipient to further his/her ballet training at dance intensives of his/her choice outside of the Houston area.

Scholarship Qualifications:

8-18 years old

Must have classical ballet training

Must have been a cast member of Houston’s Urban Nutcracker or  attended a CAI Workshop Intensive

Must complete a ‘Dance Intensive Scholarship” Application

Must have received acceptance to a classical ballet intensive program 100 miles+ outside of your home town.

SPONSOR SPREAD MY WINGS

 

BUILD A BUDDING BALLERINA

BUILD A BUDDING BALLERINA

 

 

 

 

The BUILD A BUDDING BALLERINA program is an, independent study, talent-based, scholarship program.  It provides underserved and under-represented young dancers who have the talent, potential, and desire to study dance, with the financial support to receive high quality dance training in the Houston Metropolitan area. Scholarship recipients are given a focus-driven dance curriculum that provides exceptional training in various genres at selected dance training facilities throughout the city of Houston.  Students in this program will also gain valuable performance experience and private coaching and intensive audition assistance.  Sponsors may donate to a specific dancer and follow and support their dance journey.

Scholarship Qualifications:

8-11 years old

Must have prior classical ballet training

Must reside in the Houston Metro area

Must complete a ‘Budding Ballerina” Application

Must have been a cast member of Houston's Urban Nutcracker or attended a CAI Workshop or Intensive. 

SPONSOR A BUDDING BALLERINA

 

TRACI GREENE COLLEGIATE SCHOLARSHIPS

TRACI GREENE SCHOLARSHIP

 
 
 
 
The Traci Greene Collegiate Dance Scholarship awards are given to qualified full-time college students who major or minor in dance and attend a 4 year accredited college or university. 
 











 
The Traci Greene HBCU Collegiate Dance Scholarship awards are given to full-time college students who minor in dance or dance for a 4 year accredited HBCU (danceline or team). 







 

Undergraduate Dance 

Qualifications:

Must be accepted  into to an accredited 4 year college or university

Must be a full time student

Must major or minor in dance or dance (at any four year accredited college or university)


 

HBCU Dance Qualifications:

Must be a full time student at an accredited four year Historically Black College or University.

Must currently dance for an HBCU dance line or dance team or minor in dance at a Historical Black College or University. 

SPONSOR TRACI GREENE COLLEGIATE SCHOLARSHIPS

 

Continuing Education Scholarship.jpg

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CONTINUING EDUCATION

​

 

 

 

The Continuing Education program is for high school graduates who have opted to continue their post-secondary dance studies through a conservatory or professional training program in lieu of a four-year college or university.

Scholarship Qualifications:

Must show proof of acceptance to an accelerated professional training program with accreditation

Arts focus must be dance related

Must be a full time student

Must have been a cast member of a CAI production or attended a CAI Workshop/Intensive. 

 

SPONSOR CONTINUING EDUCATION

 

HOUSTON'S URBAN NUTCRACKER

Community Outreach 

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

​

 

 

 

Houston’s Urban Nutcracker (HUN) is an innovative community outreach theatrical production that serves as CAI's biggest annual fundraiser.  HUN provides the opportunity for over 100 performing artists (ages 5 years and up) from the Houston area to train, rehearse, and perform in a professional theatrical production. 

 

HUN’s Purpose

 

  • To introduce an entertaining and family friendly Nutcracker with a multi-cultural twist to the city of Houston.

​

  • To provide the opportunity for economically disadvantaged and multi-cultural youth to participate in a city-wide theatrical production.

​

  • To expose ethnically diverse professional and pre-professional dancers and musicians to the city of Houston who are not usually afforded the opportunity to perform on such a large platform.

​

  • To educate and introduce the performing arts to disadvantaged youth.

​

  • To collaborate and showcase with other local artists, ethnic dance groups, and companies.

​

  • To give back to the community by offering fine arts scholarships to underserved youth who wish to study the performing and fine arts.

Qualifications:

Ages 5-up

Must attend annual city-wide audition

SPONSOR HOUSTON’S URBAN NUTCRACKER

 

HUN Christmas in July.jpg

CHRISTMAS IN JULY WORKSHOP

Houston's Urban Nutcracker Dance Workshop and Auditions 
Community Outreach

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

​

 

 

 

HUN Christmas in July Summer Workshop is a community outreach dance training seminar for dancers ages six through adult.  The Christmas in July Summer Workshop gives dancers the opportunity to enjoy  a weekend of multi-cultural and diverse dance classes from special guest instructors and choreographers.  CAI partners with local school districts throughout the Houston Metropolitan area to offer full scholarships to some of its students to attend this annual event. Attendees also have the opportunity to audition for Houston's Urban Nutcracker at our city-wide casting call and an opportunity to win full tuition scholarships to attend Summer Intensive programs, like Broadway Dance Center in New York City and Arts Saves Lives Foundation on the beautiful island of St. Martin. 

Qualifications:

Must be atleast six years old to attend

Must register through our website

​

​

bottom of page