After School

Step It Up NYC provides young movement artists the opportunity to leverage their on-stage talents to create social change in their communities. Over 1,000 young performers participate in the citywide dance and step for a cause competition. Throughout the course of the school year, teams will compete in qualifying rounds with both stage performances and community service activities. The top 10 teams will be chosen to move forward and perform at the final showcase. All program staff, coaches, and parents should review the following information with their teams to ensure that all members can commit to the full scope of the competition.
 

The 2025 Step It Up NYC theme is Mental Health.  Mental Health is the most commonly referred to topic by young people in DYCD special events and initiatives.  Due to the relevancy of this issue amongst middle and high school aged youth enrolled in DYCD programs, we would like to utilize Step It Up as a method to express the triumphs, challenges and realities concerning this important issue.

1) All teams must plan, develop and enact a social impact campaign centered around Mental Health.

2) All teams must incorporate the theme of Mental Health in their performances, including all auditions.

3) Teams who proceed to the finals (top 10) will work with DYCD to develop Public Service Announcements (PSAs) highlighting their mental health campaigns.

COMPETITION RULES:

• Each team may have up to 15 members. Each member must provide proof of age. Roster changes must be approved by DYCD.
• All teams must report in a timely fashion to all meetings, rehearsals, community service days, performance mentoring, and any other engagements required for the competition. Teams must inform DYCD representatives no less than 48 hours prior to a meeting of any changes. Failure to do so may jeopardize the team’s ability to move forward in the competition.
• 60% of each team’s final scores will be determined by their stage performance and 40% will be determined by their social impact project.
  The top 10 teams must be affiliated with a DYCD-funded program.

Teams can work with DYCD staff and get connected with their local DYCD-funded program, if needed.

Step It Up NYC is not only a dance competition, but a social impact competition. Each group must create a social impact campaign that does the following. In your first audition, your group must be able to explain the following on stage, after your ninety-second performance.

•  Identifies a Mental Health issue.
•  Provides justification as to why this particular issue is of utmost importance.
•  Offer comprehensive and creative solutions to these issues.

GOT A QUESTION:

If you have a question or need more information, e-mail JSyrop@dycd.nyc.gov