Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) – the world’s largest ballet scholarship organization – presents YAGP’s Pas de Deux Virtual Competition. Over 12,000 aspiring dancers – ages 9 to 19 – danced at YAGP’s 2020 regional auditions around the globe; 34 cities in 14 countries. The three highest-ranked Pas de Deux performances from each location will be showcased on YAGP’s social media channels Friday, June 26th through Sunday, June 28th. Internationally recognized members of the dance world – including Cynthia Harvey (ABT JKO School), Peter Stark (Boston Ballet II), and Amanda Bennet (Basel Theater) – will be watching and judging each variation. On Wednesday, July 1st these judges will announce the winners! In addition, each participant will be automatically reviewed for scholarships, job offers, and placements to the schools and companies represented on the jury.
Students will be representing schools in California, Indianapolis, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Arizona, Massachusetts, Missouri, District of Columbia, North Carolina, Colorado, Michigan, Texas, Washington, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, as well as Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary in Canada and countries Spain, Romania, Portugal, Italy, and Russia.
The Judges
Contemporary Category
Matthew Dibble – Repetiteur and Dancer, Twyla Tharp Dance
Karine Plantadit – Tony Award-nominated Dancer/Actress; Former dancer at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
John Selya – Former Dancer, Twyla Tharp Dance
Ashleigh Wilson – Former Soloist, SemperOper Dresden
Classical Category
Natalia Bashkatova – Former Principal Dancer, Bolshoi Theater; Performer, Cirque du Soleil
Amanda Bennett – Artistic Director, Ballet School of the Basel Theater
Cynthia Harvey – Artistic Director, American Ballet Theater, JKO School
Deborah Hess – Senior Faculty Member, Canada’s National Ballet School
Oliver Matz – Director, Zurich Dance Academy
Pascal Molat – Trainee Program Assistant, San Francisco Ballet School
Robert Parker – Artistic Director, Elmhurst Ballet School
Peter Stark – Associate Director Boston Ballet II and Head of the Men’s Program, Boston Ballet Academy
Dates
Contemporary Pas de Deux will be Friday, June 26 at 6 PM EST
Classical Pas de Deux Group 1 will be Saturday, June 27 at 6 PM EST
Classical Pas de Deux Group 2 will be Sunday, June 28 at 6 PM EST
To support dancers while they are staying at home, YAGP has also launched a new Virtual Scholarship Program and Free Online Classes. Every dancer who placed in the top 12, Classical Category, during the 2020 YAGP Semi-Finals was eligible to apply for scholarships to top dance institutions through YAGP. For the first time in history, 18 of the world’s major dance schools awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships to 105 talented young dancers from 21 countries; 6 dancers were offered company trainee positions, 1 received a 2nd company professional contract – and it all happened online! With YAGP’s extensive global repertoire of alumni and affiliated dance professionals, free online classes are available for all dancers of any level. Teachers include Luca Masala (Artistic Director of Monaco’s Princess Grace Academy), Sasha De Sola (YAGP Alumna and Principal Dancer at San Francisco Ballet), Maria Khoreva (Mariinsky Ballet), Kathryn Morgan (Miami City Ballet), Skylar Brandt (American Ballet Theatre), Peter Stark (Boston Ballet), Oliver Matz (Zurich Dance Academy), Jason Beechey (Palucca School Dresden), and TONY-nominated Broadway performer Karine Plantadit (YAGP Judge and Emcee, former dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater) teaching a special class on the Horton technique for ballet dancers. As the YAGP community practices social distancing, its social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) are providing these daily classes at 12 pm EST, which will remain available on each channel permanently.
The Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition, and global dance network; connecting students, teachers, schools, companies, sponsors, dancers, choreographers, and audiences worldwide. Over 12,000 young dancers from more than 40 countries participate in YAGP’s competition, master classes, and educational events each season. Over the past 20 years, YAGP has facilitated more than $4 Million in scholarships to the world’s leading dance institutions. Over 450 YAGP alumni are currently dancing in 80 of the world’s leading dance companies, including American Ballet Theatre, Dutch National Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, New York City Ballet, ParisOpera Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, and many more. More information, at WWW.YAGP.ORG.
