An aura of excitement and nervousness is in the air at the HBTL Youth Academy auditions on July 29 th at Harlem Commonwealth Building. While some teenagers do vocal exercises to warm up their voices, others struggle to remember the dance number that they learned mere minutes before. Others listen to music and laugh with friends in an attempt to combat the inevitable "butterflies in their stomach." Everyone, however, is hoping that they show enough talent, skill, and dedication to be accepted into the HBTL Youth Academy.

The HBTL Academy was created in 2006 by Hinton Battle, a choreographer, dancer and soon to be, teacher. Battle feels that "kids will be disciplined and understand the value of that discipline. . . . ." HBTL will provide dancing and singing lessons, all taught by professionals.

Working with Hinton Battle are two professional artists, David Campbell, an accomplished dancer, and Raven Kane, a vocal artist who flew in from Los Angeles to teach vocal lessons. Both are top-of-the-line performers and teachers who will provide the students of HBTL with great training and a great opportunity.

Another major contributor to the HBTL Youth Academy is Dr. Joseph L. Tait, the owner of Harlem Commonwealth Building.   He has agreed to rent a space, free of charge, to HBTL Youth Academy. By doing this, he "helps the community and keeps HBTL a non-profit organization." The building also houses, along with HBTL, ESL programs, Advocacy Programs at PS 154, internship programs, and classes in robotics, photography, philosophy and conflict resolution. He says that one of his goals is to "broaden their spectrum of art so that they appreciate more, not just hip-hop . . . . education is the key; through dance, music, whatever works for you."

Clyde Davis is a 12-year-old singer who is interested in the HBTL Youth Academy for "vocal training, so that [he] know[s] how to sing better."   He started singing in the children's choir at his church, so, befittingly, his audition piece was "Great is He", one of Clyde's favorite gospel songs.

Shaleena and Zina are 9 year old twins whose favorite pastime is dancing. They love "making up their own routines" and "mixing-up dancing styles. Their mother wants them to eventually "learn how to play an instrument" and to "have fun. Because they're young." Shaleena and Zina auditioned to their self-choreographed dance.   Though they are still too young to officially enroll, they loved the opportunity to show off their skills.

The kids were auditioning on Saturday to be accepted into a 3 -week summer program. All enrolled students will attend intensive three hour classes. As a reward for their hard work, all participants    will have the chance to attend the Manhattan premier screening of   and benefit performance of IDLEWILD on August 21. an upcoming film starring Outkast, and featuring the original choreography of Hinton Battle.

The HBTL Youth Academy is open to the youth of NYC during the three-week program in the summer, and also after school during the school year. This intensive program allows the students to learn from the best, and better themselves, their community, and have fun.   Perhaps HBTL can best be communicated in a quote from Hinton Battle : "I'm overjoyed at this whole prospect."