This week, more than 1,000 young hopefuls gathered in New York City for the Youth America Grand Prix finals, giving them the chance to compete for scholarships and contracts to some of the world’s top ballet schools and companies. Roughly 85 dancers made it to the final round at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater […]
Former American Ballet Theatre soloist Anna Liceica has been judging the Youth America Grand Prix since 2007. “Once in a while, we see someone who tries to do too many turns without good form or musicality,” she says. “We don’t encourage it, and that dancer does not place high.” Judges (and artistic directors in attendance) […]
Before joining Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Sarah Daley learned how to find inspiration in everyday life from her mentor Watmora Casey. “I remember when I was getting ready to compete in Youth America Grand Prix in 2002, I was doing the Black Swan Variation. I wasn’t giving enough fire to portray the character, so […]
The music can barely be heard from the foggy courtyard, where Malu Rivera-Peoples and Cristina Fargas-Newell (“Miss Tina” to the students) allow a visitor to observe through the windows of a spacious studio as 20 or so youngsters dutifully execute grands battements in Cuban ballet star Jorge Esquivel’s ballet class. “That’s much better,” says Rivera-Peoples, […]