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Recanati-Kaplan Program for Excellence in the Arts

Merit scholarships for exceptional talent in art, dance, music and musical theater for students ages 7-17
Recanati-Kaplan Gifted and Talented Program

Is your child a talented and passionate artist, musician or dancer?

Offering full, 100% merit-based scholarships, the Recanati-Kaplan Program for Excellence in the Arts opens doors for gifted and talented students to hone and develop their creative potential as artists and performers.

Recanati-Kaplan scholars thrive.

Studying under the guidance of 92nd Street Y’s esteemed faculty in a pre-conservatory environment, your scholar will be immersed in a broad range of advanced classes and private, personalized instruction with world-class teachers and master mentors.

Students demonstrating particular excellence in their field are eligible to receive end-of-the-year awards, which can be used towards college tuition.

We teach our students to dream BIG.

At the core of the Recanati-Kaplan Program is the belief that individualized instruction and mentoring accelerates learning, supports technical accomplishment and stimulates creative potential. This is where the journey begins, putting you on a path to reach new goals, exceed expectations and fulfill their dreams of becoming a professional artist.

Now accepting applications.

Download the Brochure

Apply Now

FAQ

More About Our Programs

Recanati-Kaplan Artists

  • Study in specialized classes weekly in a range of visual arts disciplines.
  • Receive portfolio preparation classes for admission to high school and college.
  • Benefit from personalized mentoring to support artistic development.
  • Participate in field trips to artists’ studios, design studios, museums, galleries and more.
  • Show their work at the annual student show in 92NY’s Weill Art Gallery.
Art Center R-K scholars have been accepted to:
Pre-professional programs in Art
  • Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
  • Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
University programs in Art
  • Rhode Island School of Design
  • The Cooper Union
  • Parsons The New School for Design
  • School of Visual Arts
  • La Guardia

Application deadline: Applications are open and the deadline has been extended to June 2

Art Mentor:
Maggie Larson

Maggie Larson

Maggie Larson is an artist and cartoonist living in New York City. She has been a cartoon contributor to The New Yorker since 2017 ...

Maggie Larson

Maggie Larson

Maggie Larson is an artist and cartoonist living in New York City. She has been a cartoon contributor to The New Yorker since 2017. Maggie grew up in Portland Oregon, graduated from Bryn Mawr College just outside of Philadelphia, and gets much inspiration for her work from the cities she has called home as well as her own life. Maggie's work was recently featured as a part of the "Funny Ladies at The New Yorker Then and Now" exhibition at The Society of Illustrators in 2018. When she is not at her drawing table, Maggie works as the Associate Director of the 92nd Street Y Art Center.

Recanati-Kaplan Dancers

The Recanati-Kaplan Dance Program is for talented and hardworking students who aspire to professional careers in dance as performers, choreographers, educators, and leaders in any facet of the field of dance. The rigorous curriculum will expose students to a wide range of historical and future forward artists while providing performing opportunities in a range of venues and opportunities for creating, designing and directing work of their own.

Recanati-Kaplan Dancers:

  • Receive rigorous study in specialized classes weekly in a diverse range of dance styles and genres
  • Study with some of NYC’s most talented performing artists and teachers from companies such as The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Dorrance Dance, Passion Fruit Dance Company, MeenMoves, MorDance, Rhythm of the Sole, STOMP, Phantom of the Opera and many more!
  • Receive one-on-one mentorship with R-K Dance mentor
  • Learn and perform repertory from master choreographers and companies, such as Martha Graham, José Limón, Jerome Robbins, Alvin Ailey and Trisha Brown, as well as cutting edge choreographers from our Artist-in-Residence program.
  • Perform in professional settings outside of the 92NY
  • Have access to 92NY’s Artist-in-Residence program, Harkness Mainstage Series, in-person immersions and experiences with visiting artists in our studios throughout the year.
  • Experience the NYC dance scene through field trips to Lincoln Center, Guggenheim Works & Process, The Joyce Theater, BAM, NYLA and more.
  • Receive individualized preparation for high school, university, and summer program auditions
  • Mentoring choreography and dramaturgy for dance theater and dance film
  • Dance Teacher Training
  • Stage Production
Recanati-Kaplan Dance scholars have gone on to:
  • Professional Performing Arts Schools, including Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
  • Summer programs and intensives including American Ballet Theater, School of American Ballet, American Academy of Ballet, Manhattan Youth Ballet and New York Theater Ballet
  • Top college programs in dance and biology
  • Specialized programs in dance, dance education, choreography, and arts administration
Recanati-Kaplin Dance Auditions (ages 7-17):

Application deadline: Tuesday, May 21, 2024
In-person audition: Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 5-6:40 pm
Video audition: Due Tuesday, May 21, 2024 by 5 pm

Additional application requirements

Dance Mentor:
Sameena Mitta

Sameena Mitta

Sameena Mitta is the founder and artistic director of MeenMoves, as well as of the government-funded education and outreach program, MadHops. A graduate of the professional ballet training program ...

Sameena Mitta

Sameena Mitta

Sameena Mitta is the founder and artistic director of MeenMoves, as well as of the government-funded education and outreach program, MadHops. A graduate of the professional ballet training program of The School of Dance in Ottawa, Mitta was a recipient of the Celia Franca Scholarship, and was awarded with distinction the Associate Diploma of the Cecchetti Society. She has spent over 15 years teaching and working as a freelance modern dancer, performing for numerous choreographers and teaching at schools throughout North America and abroad. Mitta has performed with The White Oak Dance Project in their New York Season of Past Forward, in the Czech Republic with Dagmar Spain and in New York with The Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, Kathryn Alter and Dancers, Aviva Geismar, Luis Tentindo and The Juilliard Opera Company, among many others. In 2008 she received a MA in Dance Creation at UQAM focusing on Movement Intervention for survivors of domestic violence. Mitta, with her dance-theatre company, MeenMoves, has presented works in North America, India, Japan and Europe. Esteemed festivals have selected and produced Mitta’s pieces, including the evening-length work Growing Pains, co-presented by ODD in Ottawa (2013). She has shown work at Ailey APAP2018 (NYC, 2018) and at BAM Fisher (NYC, 2018) as well as Frigid Festival (NYC, 2014), Westfest Dance Festival (NYC, 2015), 60x60 (NYC, 2015), BAX’s Winter Festival (NYC, 2016) and Dance On The Lawn (NJ, 2018). She presented her evening-length work, alternative (f)Acts, at the Martha Graham Theater (NYC, 2017). In 2015, Mitta was invited to create work through a residency at the Lake Studios in Berlin, Germany and has produced work for the Choreographer’s Collective in NYC. She has received funding from the Canadian government for her outreach programming and has sat on juries in Canada and the USA for several organizations offering funding and scholarships. She is the recipient of the choreographic fellowship at NJPAC (2018-2020) and is on faculty at the Limón Institute, Ballet Tech and the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center. Mitta’s interests include arts activism and diversity in dance.

Recanati-Kaplan Musicians

  • Have the opportunity to perform in masterclasses, attend performances, and participate in music intensives with special guest instructors as part of our collaboration with the Curtis Institute of Music.
  • Attend weekly private lessons and theory classes
  • Participate in weekly vocal and/or instrumental ensembles
  • Learn to use music technology, empowering them to compose, record, edit and mix their own music.
  • Receive guidance for applying to universities and pre-professional programs in music.
School of Music R-K scholars have been accepted to:
Pre-professional programs in music
  • Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
  • Professional Performing Arts High School
  • Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
  • The Julliard School
  • Special Music School
Higher-education programs in music
  • Yale University
  • Bowdoin College
  • Oberlin College
  • Syracuse University
  • SUNY Purchase
  • Manhattan School of Music
  • University of California, Los Angeles

Download additional application requirements

Application deadline: May 30, 2025
Audition dates: Jun 12 & 15, 2025. Additional dates TBD if necessary.

Music Mentor:
Kyle Landry

Kyle Landry

Dr. Kyle Landry is a dynamic and engaging contemporary saxophonist, composer, artist and music educator originally from Detroit Michigan ...

Kyle Landry

Kyle Landry

Dr. Kyle Landry is a dynamic and engaging contemporary saxophonist, composer, artist and music educator originally from Detroit Michigan.

As a performer and composer, Kyle has dedicated his career to presenting unique and engaging works of art that immerse the audience and evoke questions. This philosophy has fueled an exploration of new sounds and the invention of new and unusual musical instruments. One of Kyle’s recent works, NODE premiered at the Broad Modern Art Museum, featured an interactive mechanical-feedback instrument, which reverberates sounds through a 10-foot spring controlled by a computer, creating feedback loops and resonance.

In his work as a chamber musician, Kyle is a member of the Viridian Saxophone Quartet which has performed throughout the United States and has won numerous awards including prizes at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, North American Saxophone Alliance Chamber Music Competition, Coleman Chamber Music Competition, Plowman Chamber Music Competition and the MTNA Chamber Music Competition. Kyle’s mission as both a soloist and chamber musician is to promote the creation and dissemination of new works through performance, composition and commissioning. As part of a recent commissioning project, the Viridian Quartet premiered Four Brothers, a four movement jazz suite by Grammy Award winning jazz pianist Bill Cunliffe.

Kyle’s philosophy as an educator encourages the growth of student’s creativity, curiosity, critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills while working towards the highest level of creative artistic expression. Whatever the student’s goals, Kyle works to instill in them all a love and passion for music.

Kyle holds a Doctoral degree in Music Performance and a Master of Music from Michigan State University, a Bachelor of Music Performance and a Bachelor of Music Education from Central Michigan University. If you would like to learn more about Kyle Landry’s work you can visit his website: Kyle-Landry.com

Recanati-Kaplan Musical Theater

  • Rigorous study in specialized weekly classes in a range of Musical Theater dance styles, singing, and acting.
  • Performance opportunities in original works of theater.
  • Learn and perform classic repertory from productions such as 42nd Street, A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Hamilton, Wicked, and more.
  • Perform in Musical Theater Workshop productions.
  • Experience the NYC Theater scene through field trips to Broadway shows, masterclasses, conventions, and more.
  • Learn and perform repertory from master choreographers currently working on Broadway, National Tours, TV and Film.
Recanati-Kaplan Musical Theater scholars have gone on to:
  • Tony Award winning Broadway careers
  • Professional Performing Arts Schools, including Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
  • Ivy League and top conservatory colleges
  • Graduate programs in dance and dance education
  • Perform in original works of theater, such as From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, A is for Audra, and Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz.

The Recanati-Kaplan Musical Theater Program is for talented and hardworking students who aspire to professional careers in the Musical Theater industry as performers, educators, choreographers, directors, and leading artists in the field. The rigorous curriculum will expose students to a wide range of historical and contemporary musicals while providing performance opportunities in a range of venues and opportunities for creating, designing, and directing work of their own.

Application deadline: June 15, 2024
In-person auditions: TBD

Musical Theater Mentor:
Megan Doyle

Megan Doyle

Megan Doyle, Director of Musical Theater at 92nd Street Y, holds a Masters Degree in Dance Education from NYU, is a graduate of the Dance Education Laboratory ...

Megan Doyle

Megan Doyle

Megan Doyle, Director of Musical Theater at 92nd Street Y, holds a Masters Degree in Dance Education from NYU, is a graduate of the Dance Education Laboratory and is currently pursuing her second Masters in Educational Theater at CCNY. Megan has choreographed for American Girl, Netflix, Disney, and Lululemon Atheltica. Megan’s company, Community Dance Project NYC (CDPNYC), has presented works of Musical Theater and Contemporary Jazz throughout the city including at the Ailey Theater, Peridance, Symphony Space, White Wave, Green Space, and as a presenter with Jazz Choreography Enterprises.

As a performer, Megan has worked extensively for Disney appearing in the How to Dance with Hannah Montana video, voice overs for Lizzy McGuire Merchandising, and industrials and concerts with the Jonas Brothers, Emily Osment, and Demi Lovato. In addition to her commercial work, Megan has had the opportunity to perform with a variety of dance companies, including as a soloist in When Paths Collide at Lincoln Center. Megan is proud to have spent 5 years on tour as Anne in The Diary of Anne Frank. Other favorite touring/regional theatre credits include: Class Dismissed: The Bullying Project, The Sound of Music, Sugar Babies, Into the Woods, West Side Story, Joseph …, and the world premiere of Markings.

Megan has had the privilege of teaching at many different schools and studios including recreational and competitive dance studios throughout the United States, in the NYC public school system as a teaching artist, The Village Community Middle School, and at Merrick Academy Public Charter School. Megan also wrote and developed the dance curriculum for Gymboree Play and Music.

Find out more about 92NY’s many scholarship programs.

Please note that all 92Y regularly scheduled in-person programs are suspended.