Youth America Grand Prix

To my courteous readers,

Youth America Grand Prix, or more commonly known as YAGP, is the world's largest student ballet competition. Ranging from ages 8 to 19, YAGP provides an opportunity for anyone wishing to put their Ballet skills to a test against students from all over the world. YAGP is also the only student ballet competition that provides scholarships to great dance/ballet schools.

Here is a photo of the YAGP logo for 2008.
This photo was taken from: http:// www.danzaballet.com

YAGP was started in 2000, by two former dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet, Larissa and Gennadi Saveliev. The purpose for the commencement of YAGP, was to provide opportunities to young dancer to receive fantastic dance education, as well as to provide proffesional opportunities, and hopefully start their professional dance career. Now this is not the only reason for students to want to go to YAGP. There so happens to be world-class judging and workshops that are taught be these same judges. YAGP has become such a phenomenon that artistic directors and teachers of major dance companies such as L'Opera National de Paris, The Royal Ballet, ABT and many others come to judge the competition, as well as offer scholarships to students who might want to come and study at their school. Larissa ad Gennadi goals for YAGP were the following:

- To provide educational opportunities to young dance students

- To provide scholarships and contracts to International as well as American ballet companies

- To provide students profesional exposure in front of world renowed professionals of the art form

- To provide performance opportunities to young dancers

- To provide workshops with world class teachers, for student to use to improve their technique

Here is a photo of a participant at YAGP.
This photo was taken form:
http://www.robertaonthearts.com

Most of these goals have been accomplished, and much, much more. Now this sounds like such a fantastic competition, but how do you get there?

Well to begin there are semi-finals all over the world (i.e. North Korea, France, U.K., Brazil) and all across the United States. The top twelve winners of these semi-finals advance to the New York finals. In New York you go to several work shops to improve your technique, and compete to be in the top six. To make it to the top six is an amazing accomplishment that not very many people do. In the top six there is obviously a winner, winner get's an immediate scholarship, though practically all of the top six are pretty much garanteed a scholarship. Also money awards are given out to support the dancer's future.

This year, I , The Bloggy Ballerina, will be competing at YAGP in Los Angeles, during February. If I place top twelve, then I will be moving on to the finals in New York.  I very excited to go there, and I am not expecting myself to do very well because it is my first time going down to compete there. I am very anxious, and I can't wait to meet the fantastic judges, and attend their workshops.

Until next time,
The Bloggy Ballerina.



Here is a video of the top twelve performances in YAGP at the New York finals. This only part I, which means that there might be more than twelve, or there is less than twelve. If you would like to see part II than just search "YAGP" on Youtube.

This video was made by Vam Productions, and it is here today curtesy of YouTube.