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This month YouthNoise, in partnership with Nike, the Department of Youth & Community Development, and the Global Youth Leadership Institute, is introducing Step It Up: Battle of the Boroughs, a city-wide contest where dance teams from all five New York City boroughs compete for up to $10,000 in cash and prizes, including a team grant, a Nike ID session in which the winning team will be able to design their own team shoe and the coveted NYC Battle of the Boroughs trophy to be featured on Gamechangers, YouthNoise Play City, and Live Leadership Now.

Heralded as the “Super Bowl of dance competitions,” the Battle of the Boroughs gives young dancers the opportunity to showcase their talent and encourages participants to declare a cause for their communities. Issues like Inequality, Education and Violence are among the few causes participants can declare to help support their communities.

The competition is organized in three phases. The first phase is auditions, in which teams register online, volunteer for a community service project and compete for the semifinals on June 4, 2009; the Battle Zone. The semifinalists that make it to the Battle Zone will create video PSAs that will be hosted on YouthNoise.com/playcity. Finally, the teams chosen to move on will compete in the Battle of the Boroughs on June 30, 2009, where the final teams will create, develop and launch a borough-wide campaign around their causes and compete for the grand prize!

Young people from all over New York City now have the opportunity to participate in a one of a kind dance competition while representing and advocating for their surrounding communities. Register now for the Battle of the Boroughs and Step It Up for a cause to change your community!