N E W S L E T T E R

Fall 2022

Dear Friends,

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States, we would like to give thanks to all of you - our friends, dancers, teachers, and supporters around the world – for being part of YAGP, the world’s largest dance family.

Our 2023 season is off to a very enthusiastic start. Over the past few months, YAGP conducted 10 international semi-finals and 5 auditions in the U.S. with record-breaking numbers of participants. As the largest pipeline of young talent for the world’s leading dance companies, YAGP continues to expand its global reach to nurture the dreams of young dancers of all backgrounds. This year, we welcomed the Philippines to our globe-spanning roster of international event locations.

Here is a recap of the first few events of this season – and stay tuned for more to come.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Larissa and Gennadi Saveliev

Founders, Youth America Grand Prix

The YAGP JOB FAIR is back by popular demand!

A one-stop audition for 30+ U.S. and International dance companies, open to dancers ages 17-24, the YAGP 2023 Job Fair will be held in two locations in 2023:

February 11-12, 2023 

EUROPE | Stuttgart, GERMANY 

Hosted by The Stuttgart Ballet

March 4-5, 2023

USA | Nashville, TN

Hosted by Nashville Ballet

The JOB FAIR at both locations will feature an impressive in-person line-up of companies and their representatives, and will also be LIVESTREAMED WORLDWIDE and observed by Artistic Directors of YAGP-affiliated partner companies around the globe.

UNITED STATES 🇺🇸

To accommodate unprecedented demand for participation in the U.S., YAGP expanded its U.S. semi-finals season to include five events across the country this fall, ahead of the 30-location North American tour beginning in January 2023.

Dancers in Chicago, Los Angeles, Austin, San Diego, and Philadelphia presented onstage performances and enjoyed master classes with the jury members, who represented a diverse group of dance institutions across the country. We look forward to continuing the U.S. semi-final tour in January and beyond!

FRANCE 🇫🇷

In 2012, YAGP became the first outside organization in Paris Opera Ballet School’s 300-year history to be welcomed into its historic building.

10 years later, we continue to celebrate the centuries-old tradition of artistic excellence by celebrating the 10^th Anniversary of the YAGP Paris semi-final at this legendary institution.

The preeminent jury panel was chaired by Élisabeth Platel, Artistic Director of the POBS, and included such esteemed individuals as Jason Beechey, Rector, Palucca University of Dance Dresden (GERMANY); Paola Cantalupo, Artistic Director, Rosella Hightower’s National Center of Higher Education in Dance Cannes-Mougins (FRANCE); Jean-Yves Esquerre, Director, European School of Ballet (NETHERLANDS); Andrey Klemm, Ballet Master, Paris Opera Ballet; Nicolas LeRiche, Artistic Director, Royal Swedish Ballet (SWEDEN); Caroline Llorca, Professor, Ballet Academy University of Music & Performing Arts Munich (GERMANY); Joseph Morrissey, Director of Dance, Interlochen Center for the Arts (USA); Christopher Powney, Artistic Director, Royal Ballet School (UK); as well as dancers from ABT & POB.

Dozens of scholarships were offered to the world’s leading dance schools, and dancers from 24 countries in Europe and beyond presented thrilling performances in a moving display of unity through the power of art.

ARGENTINA 🇦🇷

For the first time in many years, YAGP was thrilled to host auditions in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the state-of-the-art Auditorio Belgrano.

With onstage performances and the unique experience for participants to attend live master classes with a jury panel from Europe and the U.S., this was an exciting and inspirational event complete with many scholarship opportunities for talented young dancers - with additional scholarship presenters tuning in online from all over the world.

MEXICO 🇲🇽

YAGP returned to the historic town of Cordoba in October for its annual audition in Mexico, with several hundred dancers participating from all over South America. 

As the largest platform for dance students in Mexico, this year’s semi-final brought together a jury panel that included Thiago Soares of Ballet de Monterrey, Claudio Muñoz of Houston Ballet Academy, Peter Stark of The Rock School for Dance Education, and Deborah Hess of Canada’s National Ballet School, among others. Scholarships were presented to talented young dancers after a lively week of performances and master classes.

JAPAN 🇯🇵

This year marked the 20th Anniversary of YAGP holding its semi-finals in Japan, after opening in 2002 as the very first Western youth ballet scholarship audition in the country. 

With 19 esteemed Jury members representing the “who’s who” of ballet from virtually every major dance school worldwide - and almost 1,000 participants - this season’s Japan semi-final in Osaka was the largest in its twenty-year history.

Hundreds of scholarships were awarded to the world’s most prestigious dance schools - including the Australian Ballet School (AUSTRALIA), European School of Ballet (NETHERLANDS), John Cranko School of the Stuttgart Ballet (GERMANY), Princess Grace Academy (MONACO), Royal Ballet School (UK), and numerous others.

The event was a true testament to the dedication, artistry, and commitment of the Japanese dancers.

BRAZIL 🇧🇷

YAGP’s international semi-finals tour continued in Brazil, known for its passionate and talented young dancers.

Filled with thrilling performances, this year’s audition was held in Goiânia, with a jury panel that included Ernst Meisner, Artistic Director of Dutch National Ballet Academy (NETHERLANDS); Maria Riccetto, Artistic Director of Ballet Nacional de Sodre (URUGUAY); and legendary Brazilian prima ballerina Cecilia Kerche.

INDONESIA 🇮🇩

This fall, YAGP was also thrilled to return to Jakarta, Indonesia for the first in-person semi-final in three years.

This year’s audition welcomed talented participants for several days of performances and live master classes with YAGP's esteemed jury members - a rare and special experience for these young dancers after taking master classes on Zoom for the last few years. Scholarships were presented to leading dance schools around the world, thanks to the power of technology that allowed scholarship presenters to view the dancers virtually.

PHILIPPINES 🇵🇭

In September, YAGP conducted its inaugural semi-final in Manila, Philippines led by Stella Abrera, YAGP International Ambassador, Chair of the Jury, and Acting Artistic Director of the ABT JKO School.

Welcoming dancers from across the Philippines as well as Singapore, Thailand, and the UAE, the semi-final included master classes with esteemed teachers from the John Cranko School of the Stuttgart Ballet (GERMANY), Australian Ballet School (AUSTRALIA), and Canada’s National Ballet School (CANADA).

AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺

YAGP was thrilled to return to Australia in August 2022 for the first in-person audition in three years, with two workshops in Brisbane and Sydney.

Dozens of scholarships were awarded to the leading dance academies around the world, including the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School (USA), Australian Ballet School (AUSTRALIA), John Cranko School of the Stuttgart Ballet (GERMANY), Princess Grace Academy (MONACO), and The Royal Ballet School (UK).

KOREA 🇰🇷

YAGP’s first international audition of the 2023 Season took place in Seoul, Korea in July 2022.

Headed by YAGP Alumna and Board member Hee Seo, Principal Dancer of American Ballet Theatre and YAGP Korea Ambassador, the Korea Semi-Final - as always - was filled with talent and exciting performances by hundreds of young dancers inspired by Hee's journey at YAGP.

Photography Credits: LK Studio, Star Action Shots, Chris Moore, TES, Younsik Kim, Antonio Fresco