YoungArts announced that William Mrozek, a 2025 graduate of East Ridge High School, has been selected as a 2026 National YoungArts award winner in Tap Dance. Mrozek joins hundreds of the nation’s most accomplished young visual, literary, and performing artists from 39 states and the District of Columbia. Bestowed annually since 1981, the YoungArts Award is the only award in the nation that recognizes exceptional young talent across artistic disciplines and affirms their pursuit of a professional life in the arts. Recipients become part of a lifelong community of peers and mentors, with access to critical resources that help sustain their creative practices throughout their careers.
Mrozek graduated in 2025 from East Ridge High School and now is pursuing his BFA Degree in Dance at Florida State University. Mrozek started his dance training at a local studio, Not Just Dance, located in downtown Clermont under the direction of Rosemary Demott. He served as member and Captain on the East Ridge High School Dance Team and showcased his own original choreography that earned the team a spot on the Nationals stage at the Dance Team Union Nationals Competition in January of 2025. Mrozek was also a company member of the East Ridge Theatre Department where he took the lead role of Bobby Child in the Spring 2025 production of Crazy For You and was awarded Outstanding Lead Performer by the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Centre’s Applause Awards Program. Mrozek plans to earn his BFA and MA degree at Florida State University in 5 years through the institution’s pathway program. After graduation, he looks to join a dance company, pursue commercial work, and eventually, teach at a collegiate level. This summer Mrozek will be spending two weeks in Guatemala with the non-profit organization Juntos Collective as a part of their Juntos Abroad program that focuses on bringing cultures together through the art of dance.
“If we give young people the validation to pursue artistic careers, then the arts in the United States will continue to thrive,” said YoungArts President & CEO Clive Chang. “The YoungArts Awards not only affirm their interests and talents, but give them the support networks and resources that allow them to envision a long-term path and sustain it. We are thrilled to recognize the extraordinary creativity, imagination, and talent of this year’s award winners and to champion them for the rest of their lifetimes.”
YoungArts award winners, all ages 15-18 or in grades 10-12, are selected through a highly competitive application reviewed by panels of esteemed artists in a rigorous adjudication process. All YoungArts winners have demonstrated exceptional technique, a strong sense of artistry, and an extraordinary commitment to developing their craft. Winners were selected from a record number of nearly 13,000 applications across 10 artistic disciplines: classical music, dance, design, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice, and writing.
Mrozek joins a distinguished community of artists who receive creative and professional development support throughout their career, including microgrants and financial awards, mentorship and professional development opportunities, and collaborations with major cultural partners nationwide. They also become part of an intergenerational network of more than 23,000 past awardees and accomplished artists including Daniel Arsham, Jon Batiste, Terence Blanchard, Camille A. Brown, Timothée Chalamet, Viola Davis, Amanda Gorman, Denyce Graves, Judith Hill, Jennifer Koh, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Andrew Rannells, Desmond Richardson, Jean Shin, Hunter Schafer, and Shaina Taub. Mrozek will receive a monetary award of $250 in recognition of their achievement.
A complete list of the 2026 winners is available at youngarts.org/winners.
About YoungArts
YoungArts—the national foundation for the advancement of artists—was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to identify exceptional young artists, amplify their potential, and invest in their lifelong creative freedom. YoungArts provides space, funding, mentorship, professional development and community throughout artists’ careers. Entrance into this prestigious organization starts with a highly competitive application for talented artists ages 15–18, or grades 10–12, in the United States that is judged by esteemed discipline-specific panels of artists through a rigorous adjudication process.
For more information, visit youngarts.org, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
