Marcella Raneri and the Daniel and Marcella Nutkis Charitable Foundation Award $55,000 to Emerging Artists at Dallas Halloween Party
Nov 3, 2026
Dallas, Texas, United States, November 3, 2026 -- On the night of October 31, Marcella Raneri and the Daniel and Marcella Nutkis Charitable Foundation named the first three recipients of the D&M Emerging Artist Awards, awarding a total of $55,000 in unrestricted artist-development grants during Through the Looking Glass, the 2026 edition of D&M Halloween.
Held at Fashion Industry Gallery (FIG) in Dallas, the invitation-only celebration brought together guests from fashion, entertainment, performance, and philanthropy for an immersive Alice in Wonderland-inspired evening.
Hosted by Marcella Raneri and Daniel Nutkis, the event featured extravagant costumes, show-stopping live performances, and incredible set design and scenic production by Atelier L Events Production that transformed FIG into a theatrical Wonderland.
At the center of the night were the performances of four emerging artists selected from more than 800 applicants nationwide. Under Marcella Raneri’s direct guidance, the artists spent an intensive week in Dallas developing original choreography before premiering their work on the evening’s Wonderland stage: Audrey Skodis (New York), Kylah Kuura (Dallas), Riley Roberts (Los Angeles) and Tsai Hsi Hung (New York).
Working closely with Raneri and other industry mentors, the artists received hands-on production guidance and then performed their pieces for guests, giving the audience a firsthand look at a new generation of movement artists.
Recipients were chosen through a competitive, multi-round process that included portfolio reviews, original choreography submissions, and interviews. The panel, which included drag performer and television personality Alyssa Edwards, recognized exceptional creative vision, originality, and potential. Each selected artist also received a paid participation stipend, travel and accommodation, mentorship, a professional performance credit, and portfolio material.
The $55,000 in unrestricted grants, structured as a $30,000 Grand Artist Development Award, a $15,000 Artist Development Award, and a $10,000 Emerging Vision Award, gives the three recipients freedom to invest in their growth as they choose, whether through training, new work, or future projects.
For Marcella Raneri, founder and chair of the D&M Emerging Artist Awards, the program is deeply personal. A dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker whose career includes appearances on So You Think You Can Dance and Netflix’s Dancing Queen, she built the awards around the support she knows emerging artists need most: funding, mentorship, and a real stage. “Giving emerging artists the room, resources, and visibility to create is at the heart of everything we’re doing,” Raneri said. Her hands-on involvement throughout the week of development and on the night of the performances underscored her commitment to elevating the next generation.
Guests embraced the Through the Looking Glass theme through elaborate costumes and creative interpretations. Marcella Raneri herself made a statement in a custom creation by Italian designer brand ROCHART, its intricate crystal and rhinestone embellishments echoing the evening’s fantastical spirit. The night demonstrated what happens when fashion, immersive production, and emerging performance meet under one roof, with Raneri at the center of both the creative vision and the celebration.
The inaugural awards mark the first step in a wider multidisciplinary platform driven by Raneri’s vision. While 2026 focused on Performance, Choreography & Movement, future editions are expected to expand into Scenic, Installation & World-Building, and Costume, Fashion, Wearable Art & Character Design. Through funding, mentorship, professional production experience, and public visibility, the Foundation aims to identify, support, and elevate the next generation of creative talent.
About the company: About the D&M Emerging Artist Awards The D&M Emerging Artist Awards, founded and chaired by Marcella Raneri, identify, support, and elevate emerging creative talent through artist-development funding, mentorship, professional production experience, and public visibility. The multidisciplinary platform spans Performance, Choreography & Movement; Scenic, Installation & World-Building; and Costume, Fashion, Wearable Art & Character Design. The inaugural 2026 program focused on Performance, Choreography & Movement and premiered at *Through the Looking Glass*. About the Daniel and Marcella Nutkis Charitable Foundation The Daniel and Marcella Nutkis Charitable Foundation supports initiatives that advance the public good, expand opportunity, and create meaningful impact in the arts and community causes. Guided by Daniel Nutkis and Marcella Raneri’s belief in using resources and visibility with purpose, the Foundation backs programs that elevate human stories, strengthen communities, and help people reach their creative and personal potential. About D&M Halloween D&M Halloween is a recurring, invitation-only Halloween event hosted by Marcella Raneri and Daniel Nutkis. Each edition centers on a distinctive creative theme, immersive production, hospitality, and an elevated costume standard. The 2026 edition, *Through the Looking Glass*, took place on October 31 at Fashion Industry Gallery in Dallas. About Marcella Raneri Marcella Raneri is a dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, and philanthropist whose work brings together movement, fashion, and visual storytelling. Her dance career includes appearances on *So You Think You Can Dance* and the Netflix series *Dancing Queen*. As a choreographer and former studio owner, she has earned multiple national championship, choreography, and top-studio honors. She is co-founder of the Daniel and Marcella Nutkis Charitable Foundation and founder and chair of the D&M Emerging Artist Awards.
Contact Info:
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Organization: Daniel and Marcella Nutkis Charitable Foundation
Website: https://dmhalloween.com
Release ID: 89208316
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