112 DANCE COMPANIES GET $5.8 MILLION

WASHINGTON —  The National Endowment for the Arts announced the award Thursday of $5.8 million in federal grants to 112 professional American dance companies, with the biggest sums generally going to large, established ballet troupes.

The largest amount, $500,000, was awarded to American Ballet Theater of New York to subsidize salaries for 19 weeks of touring in the 1985-86 season.

Other big winners included New York City Ballet, $350,000; Dance Theater of Harlem, $320,000; Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, $300,000; Paul Taylor Dance Company, $300,000; Joffrey Ballet, $275,000; Merce Cunningham Dance Company, $250,000; Twyla Tharp Dance, $210,000, and Martha Graham Dance Company, $210,000.