Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the world’s largest dance scholarship audition, is returning to Australia for its second season of auditions and master classes, October 18-22, 2017. Master classes will be conducted in Sydney and Brisbane, and will give talented young Australian dance students a rare chance to study with the world’s top dance professionals. Some dancers will receive scholarship offers on the spot, and some will be selected for the YAGP Finals in New York City, where in April of 2018 the Directors and representatives of 30 of the world’s leading dance institutions will offer professional job contracts and up to $500,000 USD in scholarships to their dance academies.
YAGP was founded in New York City in 1999 and since then has helped hundreds of talented young dancers start their professional career. Many of these gifted artists came from Australia – including Harrison Lee, who is currently attending the Royal Ballet School in London, and Bianca Scudamore, who currently performs as a company member with the Paris Opera Ballet.
”I love the whole YAGP experience,” says 14-year-old Australian dancer, Dominie Lythgoe. She entered YAGP last year by sending in a video audition. “It's not just a competition, it's so much more than that. YAGP just kept on giving: not only did I make the top 12 junior women, but I was also offered a short term scholarship to the John Cranko School in Stuttgart.”
Another YAGP participant from Australia, 14-year-old Audrey Freeman, had received several scholarship offers at once: ”Thanks to YAGP classes and competition, I have received scholarships to explore several ballet schools, including the Royal Ballet, Canada’s National Ballet School, the Australian Ballet School, Houston Ballet School and State Ballet School in Berlin, amongst others. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime and have learned so much!"
Head to http://yagp.org/ for more information.
Pictured top: Audrey Freeman, 14, Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy, Australia. Photo: Hideaki Tanioka.