SHOWCASE 2005
After months of screenings and auditions,
41 finalists were selected for the NJN
Hispanic Youth Showcase 2005 competition.
The cavalcade of young performers, who will
light up the stage of the New Jersey Performing
Arts Center's Victoria Theater , can be classified
as a sampling of the best young talent
in the region.
Performers from Philadelphia , New Jersey
and New York will compete as dancers, singers
and instrumentalists. There are three divisions,
Kid Dancers 4 to 7 years old; Junior Performers
8 to 12 years old and Teen Performers ages
13 to 17. Two winners will be selected in
each category for a total of 14 grant recipients.
The contestants will be competing for $500
Scholarships named after the King of Latin
Music, Tito Puente; the Queen of Salsa, Celia
Cruz; and the international dance star, Beatriz
Rodriguez. Besides winning $500 scholarships,
the lucky 14 will obtain a free trip to Six
Flags Great Adventure.
During the summer, NJN will broadcast the
television special honoring the winners of
the competition along with a tribute to previous
champions who have gone on to succeed in
the world of entertainment. Please look at
your local TV listings for the announcement
of the time slot in your area. Here are the
finalists in order of appearance.
TEEN
INSTRUMENTAL CATEGORY
• OMARA CARDOZA " I've
been playing piano since I was five.
Reaching the finals is a meaningful
accomplishment."
Age 17,
Union City , NJ. Heritage:
Nicaragua
• ALEXANDER
MORETA " I
have reached a milestone in my life ."
Age
15, Teaneck , NJ. Heritage: Dominican
Republic
• MELISSA
ROMERO "This
was one of goals in my goal on the
road to becoming a great pianist. "
Age 13, Lafayette, NJ Heritage: Ecuador & Spain
• TIMOTHY
ROSALES " My
dream is to become a music professor ."
Age
15, New York City , NY. Heritage: Ecuador & Russia
• JAVIER SANTOS "Being
a finalist gives me confidence in my
music skills."
Age
15, New York City , NY Heritage: Puerto
Rico
JUNIOR DANCE CATEGORY
• ANDREA
BATISTA " I
enjoy participating. I hope to win this
time.
Age
11, Wallington , NJ Heritage: Cuba
• SARAH
BOMBINO "I
want to become a lawyer & a professional
dancer.."
Age
10, West New York , NJ Heritage: Cuba & USA
• BIANCA
DIAZ "All
my hard work paid off."
Age
11, Union City , NJ Heritage: Cuba
• ANTHONY
FANIA " I
want to become a dancer on Broadway."
Age
12, Califon , NJ Heritage: Honduras
• KASSANDRA SANTIAGO " I
want to own a dance school & become
famous on TV."
Age
11, Newark , NJ Heritage: Puerto Rico
• CRYSTAL
VAZQUEZ " My
performance is dedicated to my dance
teacher."
Age
11, Union City , NJ Heritage: Dominican
Republic
• GABRIELA
VIVAR "This will help me
gain more experience."
Age
10, North Bergen , NJ Heritage: Ecuador
TEEN VOCALS CATEGORY
• KEILLY
BURGOS " I want to
become a singer & give back to the
community."
Age
17, Newark , NJ Heritage: Puerto Rico
• LUIS
FIGUEROA-ROIG " I
want to be a star and the pride of
the Hispanic community."
Age
15, Philadelphia , Pa. Heritage: Puerto
Rico
• SEBASTIAN
GARCIA " I
hope a record company will become interested
in me."
Age
17, Freehold, NJ Heritage: Colombia
• DIANA
OSORIO "I
want to make a difference in others
by my example."
Age
13, Belleville , NJ Heritage: Colombia & Puerto
Rico
• ADRIANA
RIVERA "My
performance is dedicated to my mom & the
soldiers overseas."
Age
16, Basking Ridge, NJ Heritage:
Puerto Rico
• JENNIFER
LYNN RODRIGUEZ "Dedicated
to my late grandfather, Osvaldo Ortiz."
Age
15, Hamilton , NJ Heritage: Colombia & Puerto
Rico
• TERESA
TORRES "I
want to become a professional bi-lingual
singer."
Age
13, Haskell , NJ Heritage: Costa Rica & USA
• CARLY
CHANTELLE VALENTIN "My performance
is dedicated to my loving family."
Age
15, Belleville , NJ Heritage: Puerto
Rican
INTERMISSION
KIDS' DANCE CATEGORY
• SHELYA
ASTOS "Dedicated to my teachers,
family & friends"
Age
7, North Bergen Heritage: Peru
• YSARA
DURAN "Dedicated to my loving
family."
Age
7, North Bergen Heritage: Dominican Republic
• ITAMARY
FLORES " My performance
is dedicated to Mexico ."
Age
6, New Brunswick Heritage: Mexico
• KAYLA
ORTIZ "My
dream is to become a ballerina."
Age
5, Jersey City , NJ Heritage: Dominican
Republic & Puerto Rico
JUNIOR INSTRUMENTAL
CATEGORY
• VICTORIA
MOLLINEDO " I
just want to be happy and get a good
education."
Age
10, Ridgefield Park , NJ Heritage: Guatemala & Colombia
• OKSANA
PASIAN " My brother
won. I want to follow his footsteps."
Age
9, New York , NY Heritage: Dominican Republic
• REBECCA
RABELO " I
dedicate my performance to my sister
and family."
Age
10, Glen Rock, NJ Heritage: Cuba & Puerto
Rico
• CAITLIN
SANCHEZ " I
hope people will value my dedication
to music."
Age
9, North Bergen , NJ Heritage: Cuba & USA
• MIAN
LEE SEO "Happiness
for me is my family."
Age
10, Lyndhurst , NJ Heritage: Cuba & Korea
• NICOLE
ASHLEY UMINA " I
want to travel the world as a pianist."
Age
11, Ridgewood , NJ Heritage: Cuba & USA
TEEN
DANCE CATEGORY
• SHAKIRA
BARRERA " I
am one step closer to my dream, Broadway."
Age
15, Englewood , NJ Heritage: Nicaragua
• VANESSA
CONTRERAS "I
want to become a famous ballerina."
Age
13, Union City , NJ Heritage: Dominican
Republic
• JESSICA
GARCIA "Being
here means the world to me. It is my
last year."
Age
17, North Bergen , NJ Heritage: Argentina & Spain
• HILDA
MORFI " I want
to make a difference in this world."
Age
17, Ridgefield , NJ Heritage: Cuba
• NICHOLAS
RUIZ "To
my grandparents who always had faith
in me."
Age
15, Old Ridge , NJ Heritage: Cuba & USA
• CATHERINE
SUAREZ "I
achieved one of my goals by being here."
Age
16, Jersey City , NJ Heritage: Ecuador
JUNIOR VOCALS CATEGORY
• PARRIS
NICOLE CISCO "I
want people to enjoy my performance and
have a good time."
Age
12, Park Ridge , NJ Heritage: Dominican
Republic & USA
• ALICIA
MOREJON " I
want to be a teacher and a singer."
Age
10, Union City , NJ Heritage: Cuba
• LIANA
ORTIZ "All
the days and nights of rehearsing paid
off."
Age
10, Jersey City , NJ Heritage: Dominican
Republic & USA
• EDWARD
PERRY III "I
want to be a singer and help foster children."
Age
11, Cookstown , NJ Heritage: Honduras & USA
• JEREMIAH
RODRIGUEZ "I
want to be an actor and gospel singer ."
Age
12, Hoboken , NJ Heritage: Puerto Rico & USA
Special Guests:
Showcase
participants in the world of entertainment
• Aryana
Rodriguez, Soap actress star on ABC's
All My Children
• Jayro
Rosado, international singer on Telefutura's
Objetivo Fama
Sponsors for the NJN Hispanic Youth Showcase
2005:
Public
Service Electric & Gas
PNC
Bank
NJ
Department of Community Affairs
New
Jersey State Council
on the Arts
Goya
Foods, Inc.
The
United Way of Essex & West
Hudson
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