YAGP INTERNATIONAL SEMI-FINALS 
ARE IN FULL SWING!

 
YAGP is on the road this month, with the European Semi-Final in Paris, France experiencing a record turnout, and with a week-long celebration of dance to mark the Semi-Final in Cordoba, Mexico. We are excited to  share the names of the winners and to welcome young talent into the ranks of YAGP Finalists. A special thank you to all of the judges and teachers who make all things possible. 

Follow us  over the next three weeks, as we journey to Osaka, Japan and Beijing, China, to conclude our International Semi-Finals!


 
EUROPEAN SEMI-FINAL - PARIS, FRANCE
OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 1

Antonio Casalinho, 12 (PORTUGAL) received scholarship offers from a record amount of schools
Antonio Casalinho, 12 (Annarella Academia de Ballet e Danca, PORTUGAL) received scholarship offers from a record amount of schools.

An unprecedented number of semi-finalists came together for the annual European Semi-Final in Paris. Participants hailed from more than 20 countries, including for the first time Belarus, Lithuania, and United Arab Emirates. Portugal produced the most winners - including Antonio Casalinho, a Hope Award winner at the 2015 Finals, who came back this season as a Junior participant, receiving scholarship offers from a record amount of schools! Two of Portugal's dance schools also received the Outstanding School Award, while the Outstanding Teacher award was given unanimously to two teachers from Israel's Unison Dance School. Photos of participants are live now, on YAGP's Facebook page, and the full list of winners is available on www.yagp.org.

THE WORKSHOPS
 
Elisabeth Platel, Director, Paris Opera Ballet School, announces winners during the Award Ceremony in Paris






























YAGP was once again privileged to host its workshops and scholarship classes at the Paris Opera Ballet School. We had an amazing panel of judges, all of whom took turns watching the auditions, teaching workshops and selecting special students for positions at their schools. We are especially grateful to Elisabeth Platel, Director, Paris Opera Ballet School, for graciously welcoming YAGP and hosting the workshops. 

A great thanks to the entire panel of judges:

Pedro Carneiro, Director, National Conservatory of Lisbon (PORTUGAL)
Jean-Yves Esquerre, Artistic Director, Dutch National Ballet Academy (NETHERLANDS)
Jay Jolley, Artistic Teacher & Programme Manager, The Royal Ballet School (UK)
David Makhateli, International Producer, Former Principal Dancer, The Royal Ballet (UK) 
Gary Norman, Former Faculty Member, The Royal Ballet School (UK)
Elisabeth Platel, Director, Paris Opera Ballet School (FRANCE)
Marek Rozycki, Deputy Artistic Leader of Dance Education, The State Ballet School of Berlin (GERMANY)
Gennadi Saveliev, Co-Founder of YAGP, Company Teacher, American Ballet Theatre (USA)
Steffi Scherzer, Artistic Director, Zurich Dance Academy (SWITZERLAND)
Roland Vogel, Teacher, Academie Princess Grace (MONACO)

And a special thank you to the wonderful teachers:
Dmitri Kulev: Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy, USA
Misa Oga: MOGA Conservatory of Dance, USA

CORDOBA, MEXICO
OCTOBER 25-NOVEMBER 1
 
Tadeusz Matacz, Director, John Cranko Schule, Stuttgart, Germany, teaching a master class as part of the Festival in Cordoba, Mexico





























More than 700 young dancers from all over the country gathered in the small town of Cordoba, Veracruz for the YAGP 2016 semi-finals in Mexico. It was the YAGP's 7th competition held there since 2004 under the auspices of the Cordoba Dance Festival, created by its Artistic Director, Martha Sahagun.

The YAGP jury panel was so impressed with the talent in Mexico that 56 scholarships were awarded to some of the world's leading dance schools - including the Ailey School in New York, Houston Ballet Academy, the Dance Academy of the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago,  John Cranko School of Stuttgart Ballet, Orlando Ballet School and Washington School of Ballet.

Sixteen dancers were selected to proceed to the New York City Finals to be held on April 22-29, 2016.

Ramona De Saa, Director, Cuba's National Ballet School, teaching a master class to YAGP participants as part of the Festival in Cordoba, Mexico





























FESTIVAL AND GALA

The week of dance started and finished with Gala performances featuring the talented young YAGP participants and the stars of American Ballet Theatre (Xiomara Reyes), New York City Ballet (Ana Sophia Scheller, Ashley Bouder and Joaquin de Luz), Houston Ballet II, National Dance Company of Mexico, and four YAGP alumni currently performing with Joffrey Ballet - Anais Bueno, Dylan Gutierrez, Cara Marie Gary and Alberto Velazquez.
 
The Festival was opened by the Mayor of Cordoba, the honorary Tomas Rios Bernal and was greeted by an enthusiastic local audience.

Danza Cordoba festival featured classical, contemporary and folk dancing - here, YAGP participants are enthralled, watching a local traditional dance performance. 




























Once again, we would like to thank the entire panel of judges for their hard work:
Sergey Gordeev, Director of External Affairs, YAGP (USA)
Kee Juan Han, Director, Washington School of Ballet (USA)
Tadeusz Matacz, Director, John Cranko School of Stuttgart Ballet (GERMANY)
Claudio Munoz, Ballet Master, Houston Ballet II (USA)
Olivier Munoz, Director, Orlando Ballet School (USA)
Melanie Person, Co-director, The Ailey School (USA)
Martha Sahagun, Mexico representative, YAGP (MEXICO)
Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director, Joffrey Ballet in Chicago (USA)

And the wonderful teachers, including:
Ramona De Saa, Director, Escuela Nacional De Ballet (CUBA)
Rasta Thomas, Founder, Bad Boys of Ballet (USA)
Janie Parker, former Principal dancer, Houston Ballet (USA)

The entire YAGP jury panel helps guest artist Xiomara Reyes blow out her birthday candles on October 28

For more information please contact Lila Ziegler, Development Associate
at [email protected] or 646 457 9454

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Photos courtesy of VAM and Sergey Gordeev

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