By UNE News Express
Santa Ana — On August 8th, the 2025 T.O.P Awards (Talented Outstanding Performer Awards) Second Annual Ceremony and Gala kicked off at the Bowers Museum. The event aims to bring together young dancers from around the world to hone their skills and stage presence through masterclasses, performances, and competitions, while also building a bridge to professional dance careers and international performances.
Yaya Zhang, Program Director of T.O.P. and Principal of Yaya Dance Academy, said, “This is the second annual TOP Awards ceremony. This event is hosted by OC Music & Dance and is a collaborative effort. In the dance world, we bring together teachers and outstanding students from various studios annually to exchange ideas, share resources, and learn from each other. We also hope that each year’s TOP Awards will be a truly memorable event.” “I hope the awards ceremony will continue to be a memorable event for the dance community.”
Philanthropist Zhang Xianghua said, “We gather at the beautiful Bowers Museum to witness the second annual awards ceremony, a grand gathering for young dancers. We will continue to make greater contributions to our younger generation of music and dance, and we hope everyone will work together, support each other, and unite to create a better future.”
The documentary “TOP Summer 2025 Behind the Scenes” was screened at the event, showcasing the dancers’ daily training, creative process, and growth during the summer arts festival. Performances such as “La Bayadère,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Wavering,” “Change Me,” “Take Five,” “Happiness Does Not Wait,” “Sparkling Diamonds,” “Compassion,” and “Rather Be” wowed the audience. The students showcased their acquired skills, stage presence, and passion to fully demonstrate their hard work and achievements to the audience.
The awards ceremony presented several prizes, including the T.O.P Dance Education Grant, the Newcomer Award, the Lucky Parent Special Award, the BCA Scholarship, the Full Workshop Scholarship, the Favorite Dancer, the Creative Showcase Award, the Special Award, and the Overall Winner.
