Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is a non-profit international youth ballet and contemporary dance competition and scholarship program established in 1999.
Each year, over 10,000 dancers participate in the competitions and auditions YAGP conducts in various locations in North America and international locations including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Paraguay.[1]
To provide increased opportunity to the growing number of participants at regional semi-finals, and to make sure that each event is a stand-alone educational experience, since 2012 YAGP has offered scholarships at the regional semi-final level.
In 20 years since YAGP's founding, over 100,000 dancers have participated in YAGP events around the world. By January 2017, more than $3 million has been awarded to young dancers in scholarships to the world's leading[peacockprose] dance academies, and more than 350 alumni are now dancing with 80 companies around the world.[4]
Some of YAGP's most successful alumni include among many others. .
History
While pursuing her teaching career in the United States, Larissa Saveliev wanted to showcase the progress of her students and learn from other teachers in the area. She was hoping to find a ballet version of the jazz dance competitions that were very popular at the time, yet there were no ballet competitions for students in the U.S. In 1999, together with her husband Gennadi Saveliev (then a soloist with American Ballet Theatre) she decided to create one – and founded Youth America Grand Prix.
YAGP was created and developed with the active involvement of Sergey Gordeev, who became YAGP's Founding Director of External Affairs, Shelley King, who led the team as Operations Director, giving over 12 years to the organization, Barbara Brandt, who served as YAGP's first Chair of the Board of Directors, and continues to stay actively involved as a board member and Chair Emeritus, Judith M. Hoffmann, who joined as one of the first members of the Board of Directors, and Linda Morse, who serves as the current and longest-running Chair of the Board of Directors.
YAGP was officially launched in 1999 with competitions and classes held in Boston, Washington, DC., Chicago, Los Angeles and Boca Raton.[5] 8 American schools presented scholarships in the first year of YAGP's existence.[6]
YAGP was the first competition to introduce the concept that a student does not have to win 1st, 2nd or 3rd place to receive a prize (scholarship). Scholarships at YAGP are awarded based on each individual school director's evaluation of a student's potential, independently of the panel of judges’ decision. This concept has now been widely adopted by many other ballet competitions around the world.
In 2005, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized YAGP's contribution to international dance education by awarding it with a membership in UNESCO's prestigious Conseil International de la Danse (CID).
In 2007 Youth America Grand Prix became the first organization in the 50-year history of Italy's prestigious Spoleto Dance Festival to present performances by dance students.
In 2009, YAGP broke the existing Guinness World Record for “Most ballet dancers en pointe” with 221 dancers from 27 countries.
In 2010 YAGP introduced the YAGP Job Fair, a special audition series giving YAGP participants and alumni a chance to be seen and hired by the directors of the world's leading dance companies.
In 2014 YAGP launched a new dance education initiative: “Dance in Higher Education” - a program that gives dance students and their parents an opportunity to meet with representatives of the country's leading[peacockprose] college and university-based dance programs and learn about options in combining academic education with dance training.
Competition
YAGP participants are divided into three age categories: Senior Age Category (15–19 years old), Junior Age Category (12–14 years old), and Pre-Competitive Age Category (9–11 years old).
In addition to scholarships, YAGP grants other awards to the most talented participants, such as Dance Europe Award, Makarova Award and others. The most outstanding dancer in the Senior category receives the Grand Prix (US$16,000). An exceptional dancer in the Junior category receives a Youth Grand Prix, and a dancer who shows the most potential in the Pre-Competitive category receives the Hope Award (US$3,500). First, Second, and Third Places are awarded to Men and Women in the Senior, Junior and Pre-Competitive category of soloists. First, Second and Third places are awarded in the Ensembles categories, for large ensembles and for Pas de Deux.
To develop respect for artistry among its students, YAGP holds classes and workshops at every competition that are taught by the panel of judges.
Scholarship awards
Each year, more than $500,000 is awarded at YAGP in scholarships to the world's leading dance academies. While some institutions are represented every year, others present scholarships on a rotating basis. The YAGP panel of judges represents schools that issue scholarships to participants.
"Youth America Grand Prix has grown to become the largest and one of the most influential youth ballet competitions in the world"[3] and has become “a game changer in the dance world. Almost overnight, Youth America Grand Prix created a central ballet marketplace.” – Laura Bleiberg, The Los Angeles Times.
Programs and initiatives
Galas
YAGP Gala “Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow”
In keeping with its educational mission, YAGP has also used its New York City Gala as an opportunity to present a number of dancers' farewell performances in New York, in order to give young dancers, a chance to experience extraordinary artistry in a live performance. As part of its innovative programming, the YAGP Galas have included the New York farewell performances of such internationally known ballet stars as Paris Opera Ballet's Etoile dancer Manuel Legris, Bolshoi Ballet’s Nikolai Tsiskaridze, and The Royal Ballet's Darcey Bussell.
The program of the Gala ranges from the well-known ballet classics to cutting-edge contemporary choreography. In an effort to provide opportunities not only to talented young dancers but also to young choreographers, YAGP launched the Emerging Choreographer Series. As part of this annual series, YAGP has created a powerful platform for up-and-coming choreographers to present their work to the international dance community. The Emerging Choreographer Series has presented works by Camille A. Brown, Marcelo Gomes, Adam Hougland, Emery LeCrone, Gemma Bond, Susan Jaffe, Evan McKie (with Olga Smirnova) and Justin Peck – many of them debuting with World Premieres.
The YAGP Gala performers are “a truly impressive parade of artists.” - Jocelyn Noveck, The Moscow Times (AP)[7]
“The Makarova gala crowned three, remarkable evenings of performances by international artists and by Youth America Grand Prix hopefuls.” – Robert Johnson, The Star-Ledger[8]
First Position film
In 2011, YAGP was featured in First Position, an award-winning documentary directed by Bess Kargman. The film followed six young YAGP participants – Michaela DePrince, Aran Bell, Gaya Bommer-Yemini, Miko Fogarty, Jules Fogarty, Joan Sebastian Zamora, and Rebecca Houseknecht – on their journey to YAGP's New York City Finals.
First Position received its World Premiere at the 36th Annual Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2011. It won high critical acclaim and several awards at major U.S. film festivals before it was released in theaters in the United States on May 4, 2012.
Dance and Fashion Exhibit at the FIT
In 2014, YAGP became a part of fashion history through the “Dance & Fashion” exhibit at the Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology. Organized by the Museum director Valerie Steele, this unprecedented exhibition explored the synergy between dance and fashion, driven by inspiration and collaboration.
As part of the exhibit, pre-eminent U.S. fashion designer Ralph Rucci created special costumes for YAGP Alum Calvin Royal III (currently principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre), who performed a specially commissioned piece, choreographed by Gemma Bond to the original music by Karen LeFrak.[9]
The exhibit moves from the 19th century all the way to the present and highlights how many designers and their creations have been inspired by dance over time. Moreover, it emphasizes how each apparel design may fit a specific story, emotion, overall dance portrayal (etc), and its importance when creating new styles for dance. [10]
Angel Corella López is a Spanish former principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre and guest artist with The Royal Ballet, Kirov Ballet, New York City Ballet, La Scala and the Australian Ballet among many others.
Natalia Romanovna Makarova is a Russian prima ballerina and choreographer. The History of Dance, published in 1981, notes that "her performances set standards of artistry and aristocracy of dance which mark her as the finest ballerina of her generation in the West."
Greta Hodgkinson O.Ont is an American-Canadian ballet dancer. She was a Principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada until she stepped down in 2020. She continues to perform freelance and is Artist-in-Residence of the National Ballet.
The Prix de Lausanne is an international dance competition held annually in Lausanne, Switzerland. The competition is for young dancers seeking to pursue a professional career in classical ballet, and many former prize winners of the competition are now leading stars with major ballet companies around the world. The competition is managed by a non-profit foundation organised by the Fondation en faveur de l'Art chorégraphique and is maintained by various sponsors, patrons and donors.
Maria Olegovna Kochetkova is a Russian ballet dancer. She was a principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet between 2007 and 2018, and with the American Ballet Theatre between 2015 and 2017. After that, she became a freelance dancer for several years, before joining the Finnish National Ballet in the 2020/21 season.
John Meehan is an Australian ballet director, choreographer, professor, and retired ballet dancer. He was educated at the Anglican Church Grammar School in Brisbane and studied at the Australian Ballet School. Meehan joined the Australian Ballet in 1970 and was promoted to principal dancer in 1974, creating roles in new works by Glen Tetley, John Butler, Garth Welch, Sir Robert Helpmann and Gillian Lynne as well as the role of Count Danilo in Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow. In 1977 he performed as Guest Artist with American Ballet Theatre (ABT) joining the company as Principal Dancer in the fall of that year. He also danced as guest artist with The Boston Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada and the New York City Ballet.
Hildur Isabella Boylston is an American ballet dancer who is currently a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT).
Hee Seo is a South Korean ballet dancer who is a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. She became the company's first Korean ballerina to be promoted to principal dancer in ABT's 75-year history. She is also one of the youngest dancers in ABT history to be promoted to principal at the age of twenty-six. The New York Times has described her style and dancing to "exude an unhurried purity that sums up all that is lovely about ballet" and by Vogue as "unspeakably lissome". Several critics have noted her style as "lyrical and open" and she has been critically acclaimed for her "humility" and "unique feminine strength".
Ann Marie DeAngelo is an American choreographer, director, producer, teacher, consultant and former dancer - an expert in all areas of dance. She was leading ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet, where early on she was pegged by Time magazine as "one of America's most outstanding ballerinas" and where she later served as associate director at the time of the company's move to Chicago in 1995.
Michelangelo Canale is an American dancer, teacher, choreographer and artistic director of ballet.
Eglė Špokaitė is a Lithuanian ballet dancer, most notably a Principal Ballerina for the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre (1989–2011) and the only ballet dancer on the List of Famous Lithuanians. She co-founded the Egle Špokaitė Ballet School in Vilnius, Lithuania (2008), where she also served as artistic director. In the United States, she founded the Ballet Institute of San Diego dance school (2016). Špokaitė is also a choreographer, actress, and public speaker. She's the winner of the Lithuanian National Prize, as well as numerous other awards and honors. She lives and works between San Diego, CA and Vilnius.
The New York International Ballet Competition (NYIBC), was a program providing dance education and employment opportunities for young dancers ages 17 to 24. In 1983 Ilona Copen founded NYIBC, with Igor Youskevitch as first artistic director, in order to fill a void and satisfy a need in the global dance ecosystem. Other international ballet competitions existed, but New York City, considered a dance capital of the world, did not have its own.
Joy Annabelle Womack is an American ballet dancer. She is the first American woman to graduate from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy’s main training program with a red diploma, and the second American woman to sign a contract with the Bolshoi Ballet. She was a principal dancer with the Universal Ballet and Kremlin Ballet, Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theatre and got a fixed-term contract with Paris Opera Ballet in January 2023.
The Pierino Ambrosoli Foundation is dedicated to Daniela Ambrosoli’s father, Pierino Ambrosoli, a successful Italian/Swiss industrialist and her mother, Sonja Bragowa, a former dancer in the 1920s.
Katarzyna Kozielska is a Polish ballet choreographer.
Kateryna Ihorivna Kukhar is a Ukrainian prima ballerina of the National Opera of Ukraine. Merited Artiste of Ukraine. People's Artiste of Ukraine.
Skylar Paley Brandt is an American ballet dancer who is currently a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.
Larissa Saveliev is a former Bolshoi Ballet dancer and the Founder and Artistic Director of YAGP, – the world's largest student ballet scholarship competition. She is also a producer of various performing arts events in the U.S. and around the world.
Daniel Camargo is a Brazilian ballet dancer. He joined the Stuttgart Ballet in 2009, and was promoted to principal dancer in 2013. In 2016, he left to join the Dutch National Ballet, before leaving in 2019 to pursue a freelance career. In 2022, he joined the American Ballet Theatre.
Maria Andreevna Bulanova is a Russian ballet dancer. She has been a soloist of the Mariinsky Ballet since 2019 and was nominated for the national theatre award “Golden Mask” (2022).
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
