2023 YAGP wraps up with beautiful performances and a magnificent gala

Jennifer Liu

For ballet dancers, YAGP must be a familiar name It stands for Youth American Grand Prix, the world's largest ballet competition, where dancers from all over the world compete together in hopes of pursuing their passion for a dance career. This year's global finals were held in early April in Tampa, Florida.

The winners get a chance to attend summer intensive programs at the top ballet schools, such as San Francisco City Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Colorado Ballet Academy, the Harid Conservatory, and more. The elite dancers will spend their whole summer at the academy, enjoying premier ballet training from renowned masters.

As a competition with the mission of "ensuring the future of dance by providing scholarships to the world's leading dance institutions," YAGP gives out over $500,000 worth of scholarships each year.

YAGP had over 30 regional semi-finals around North America The winners went on to the finals, where they were separated into the precompetitive, junior, and senior categories Each performed one classical ballet variation and one

Courtesy of Pointemagazine.com contemporary piece, presenting both technical skills and emotions delivered by the movements and the music.

This year, the finals were held over three days at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida. Over 1,700 dancers made it there this year, the most in over five years.

Additionally, the diversity of YAGP is a massive part of what makes it unique. No matter your nationality or your ethnicity, whether you dance as a student or as a hobby, you can get invited as long as you show your professionalism

As an example, this year's final winners came from a total of 13 different countries. Since YAGP reached its 25th-anniversary milestone this year, a grand gala occurred in Lincoln Center, New York City in mid-April It was themed "The Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow" to inspire every star dancer from different generations to follow their path towards their dreams. Classical ballet pieces were performed by the former competition winners and new-coming teenage ballerinas together, presenting the art's inclusive culture and overall elegance

The former competitors of YAGP are currently working in different highly prestigious ballet theaters worldwide, from the American Ballet Theatre to the Paris Opera. It is a gala of inheritance, passing down a legacy of perseverance and courage to young, talented ballet dancers.