Dear friends,

As we near the Youth America Grand Prix 20th Anniversary Season Finals, we look back on the past twenty years with a sense of gratitude and awe. When we started YAGP in 1999, it was hard to imagine its future. It is incredible to realize that one day it would become the world’s largest student dance scholarship audition and a global community of dancers and dance professionals, united by a shared passion for ensuring the future of dance. We are thrilled and grateful to you all for building this community with us and look forward to continuing our efforts to ensure the future of dance.

This year’s Gala will be a spectacular evening of dance, featuring the most promising young dance talent and some of the world’s most celebrated ballet artists, many of whom are YAGP alumni. The Gala on Thursday, April 18th will be followed by an elegant dinner with the artists and friends of YAGP. The special performance on Friday, April 19th for the YAGP parents, teachers and friends will feature the same ballet stars and more promising young finalists from this year’s auditions. Both programs will feature exciting World Premieres: one by Brazilian Choreographer, Juliano Nunes and one by American Ballet Theatre Corps Member and YAGP Alum, Melanie Hamrick, to a special musical arrangement by her partner Mick Jagger.

To celebrate our 20th Anniversary, we are presenting the 1st International Dance School Festival on Saturday, April 20th. This unprecedented performance will feature the best students from YAGP’s partner schools and companies in one unforgettable dance performance. World’s leading dance academies will present works by David Dawson, Marco Goecke, Jean-Christophe Maillot, Uwe Scholz and many more cutting edge choreographers. With many schools making their New York debuts, this will be a unique chance to see the stars of tomorrow at the beginning of their dance careers.

Tickets to all performances sell out quickly so please order your tickets early by visiting yagp.org/upcoming-performances . YAGP finalists are invited to attend all YAGP events free of charge and your presence at our 20th Anniversary Celebration will make all things possible for these talented young dancers.

We look forward to seeing you in New York!