N E W S L E T T E R
Spring 2022
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Dear Friends,
As we have just finished the U.S. audition tour and are getting ready for the Season Finals in Tampa, FL, we want to thank all the young dancers participating in YAGP. Their commitment, dedication and artistry are a testament to the power of the arts to uplift the human spirit at a time when it matters most.
We are thrilled to share with you some of the highlights from this season – and look forward to seeing you in Tampa at the Season Finals, where more than 1,700 of the world’s most promising young artists will come together to celebrate young dance talent from all over the world.
See you soon,
Larissa and Gennadi Saveliev
Founders, Youth America Grand Prix
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YAGP wrapped up its 28-venue U.S. audition tour in March, traveling across the country to find the most promising young talent from coast to coast.
For the first time since 2020, live master classes were held at each location with the YAGP jury panel of esteemed directors and artists from the leading dance companies.
YAGP looks forward to welcoming over 1,700 talented young artists from all over the world to the 2022 Season Finals in Tampa, FL, hosted by the Straz Center for Performing Arts.
Watch the live-stream of the entire Finals week on the YAGP YouTube channel, and stay tuned for exciting updates and announcements of this year's scholarship recipients!
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Sarah Savage
The Art of Classical Ballet
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Mia Anastasia Petkovic & Simone Plante
Ballet West Academy
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Lexi McCloud
MOGA Conservatory of Dance
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Michael Savio
Stars Dance Studio
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This year’s Finals marks the first time since 2019 that international participants will be able to attend the event in person – a momentous occasion that will be celebrated with inspiring performances, master classes, scholarship opportunities, and of course, the annual YAGP Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow Gala on Tuesday, April 19.
The star-studded Gala cast will be led by YAGP Alumna Mayara Magri, Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet; Italian principal dancer Jacopo Tissi, who has recently joined La Scala Ballet; and Ukrainian YAGP Alumnus Vsevelod Maievskyi, International Guest Artist.
The evening will feature performances by:
- Mayara Magri* - The Royal Ballet
- Jacopo Tissi - La Scala Ballet
- Vsevelod Maievskyi* - International Guest Artist
- Gustavo Carvalho - Ballett am Rhein
- Derek Dunn* - Boston Ballet
- Chloe Misseldine* - American Ballet Theatre
- Kathryn Morgan - International Guest Artist
- Chisako Oga* - Boston Ballet
- Seth Orza - International Guest Artist
- Daniel Ulbricht - New York City Ballet
- Kotomi Yamada* - American Ballet Theatre
- Elisabeth Beyer* - ABT Studio Company
- Yuma Matsuura* - ABT Studio Company
- Jake Roxander* - ABT Studio Company
*YAGP Alumni
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This season, YAGP has continued to live stream each and every one of its auditions in the United States and abroad, allowing YAGP scholarship presenters — and the global dance community — to tune in virtually from around the world.
As a result, hundreds of scholarships have already been offered at YAGP semi-finals to the leading dance institutions in the U.S. and abroad, including the new YAGP summer program in partnership with the Nervi International Dance Festival in Italy.
YAGP is especially grateful to its network of schools and scholarship presenters at this time when we were able to engage it to place more than 100 Ukrainian dancers displaced by war at leading dance schools in Europe and the United States.
YAGP looks forward to welcoming its international jury panel and scholarship presenters from around the world to the 2022 Finals next week, where they will see the world's most promising young dance talent in person for the first time in three years.
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Arina Lyashenko, Marharyta Nemyrovska, Yuliana Hryhorenko, Kateryna Zhuralova, Diana Yefimenko (UKRAINE)
Placed on scholarship at the John Cranko School of the Stuttgart Ballet (GERMANY)
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Martin Korol (UKRAINE)
Placed on scholarship at Princess Grace Academy (MONACO)
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Polina Pikiner (UKRAINE)
Placed on scholarship at La Scala Ballet Academy (ITALY)
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Mai Ishiyama
Amirian Ballet Academy, CA
Scholarship to the John Cranko School of the Stuttgart Ballet (GERMANY)
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Jonah Hess
WestMet Classical Training, MN
Scholarship to Princess Grace Academy (MONACO)
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Liam Geoffroy
Scholarship to San Francisco Ballet School (USA)
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Nicole Bustamante
Orlando Metropolitan Ballet Academy, FL
Scholarship to Houston Ballet Academy (USA)
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In February, friends of YAGP gathered at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Symphony Space in New York for an intimate evening celebrating some of the most promising dance talent in the United States in the first-ever YAGP Ambassador performance.
YAGP Ambassadors is a program featuring extraordinary young dancers from around the world who represent YAGP’s mission to educate the next generation of dance artists and audiences. Stars on stage and leaders in their community, these talented young artists inspire not only their audiences, but also their fellow dancers across the globe.
Click the link below to watch the performance.
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Corbin Holloway
YAGP 2021 Finals Silver Medalist
The Royal Ballet School (UNITED KINGDOM)
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Brady Farrar
YAGP 2021 Finals Grand Prix Winner
ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, NY
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Natalie Steele
YAGP 2022 Los Angeles Grand Prix Winner
Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy, CA
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Audrey Beukelman
YAGP 2022 Berlin 1st Place Winner
Rocky Mountain Ballet Academy, CO
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Bella Jones
YAGP 2021 Finals Silver Medalist
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Sarasota Friends Gathering
Hosted by Laura Lobdell and Darrell E. Flannel
Co-chaired by Adrienne and Gigi Vittadini and Joe Volpe
This now traditional gathering of friends in Sarasota took place in March at the elegant home of Laura Lobdell and Darrel E. Flannel – and the guests enjoyed every moment of it.
Attended by YAGP alumna Melanie Hamrick and YAGP Chair of the Board, Jeanene Perry, the event also featured a stunning performance by Hee Seo – a Principal Dancer of American Ballet Theatre and a YAGP alumna who now heads YAGP Korea. “Hee is a shining example of the beauty of our program,” said Perry, also noting that the YAGP events in Korea have now given access for more than 30,000 dancers to audition for scholarships at dance academies around the world.
The guests enjoyed the elegant setting and truly appreciated the opportunity to experience the beauty of dance and the joy of getting to know the dancers in an up close & personal, friendly atmosphere.
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Hee Seo, YAGP Alumna
Principal Dancer of American Ballet Theatre
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Darrell E. Flanel and Laura Lobdell |
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Gigi Vittadini, Adrienne Vittadini, Joe Volpe |
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Ian Webb, YAGP Alumna Melanie Hamrick, Christopher Hird, Jason Ettore |
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For the Love of Dance
At the elegant residence of Ford and Jeanene Perry
In February, as the YAGP U.S. audition tour was in full swing, YAGP Board Chair Jeanene Perry and Ford Perry hosted a cocktail reception at their elegant residence. The gathering celebrated the past and current YAGP dancers and judges - and even featured performances by two YAGP participants, who were able to share their first-hand experience of the life-changing opportunities YAGP provides to young dancers worldwide.
The hosts welcomed old and new friends of YAGP and spoke about the organization’s mission to support the next generation of dance artists. YAGP judge and former Principal Dancer of New York City Ballet James Fayette also shared why he believed it's important – now more than ever – to support and develop artists of tomorrow.
The evening gave its guests a chance to experience the joy of dance - and a chance to meet the talented young artists whose lives were changed by YAGP.
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Teresa Shock, Jeanene Perry, Ted Shock |
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Tracy Vap, Riley Cedro, Jeanene Perry, Kaitlin Hipple |
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This spring, YAGP International Semi-Final auditions were held in Korea, Brazil, Indonesia, and Israel.
Several hundred participants had the opportunity to perform live onstage in their home countries, while YAGP judges and scholarship presenters took part virtually.
Following the auditions, talented young dancers were offered scholarships from directors of the world’s preeminent dance academies – and select participants received invitations to attend the YAGP 2022 Finals in Tampa, FL.
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Youth Grand Prix Indonesia |
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YAGP also conducted its International Virtual and North American Virtual Semi-Finals, with dancers taking part in a 100% online event that included solo and ensemble performances, virtual master classes, and the chance to be seen and considered for scholarships at YAGP scholarship-presenting schools worldwide, including the Dutch National Ballet Academy (NETHERLANDS), John Cranko School of the Stuttgart Ballet (GERMANY), Princess Grace Academy (MONACO), The Royal Ballet School (UK), and many others.
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Dance has the power to inspire, uplift and transform – but when it comes to young minds, its power to elevate goes far beyond the stage.
Sharing the stage at YAGP with fellow dancers from around the globe creates an environment where diversity and inclusion are not just aspirational goals, but a shared reality – helping students become not only better artists, but better global citizens.
HELP ENSURE THE FUTURE OF DANCE
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Photography Credits: GIT Photography, LK Studio, Star Action Shots, Younsik Kim (Yoon6 Photo Studio) |
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