Congratulations to the 2021 YAGP Winners!
Updated on 5/30/2021
Earlier this month, approximately 800 ballet students from around the country headed to Tampa, Florida, for Youth America Grand Prix’s 2021 Finals. After a long, challenging year full of cancelled shows and summer intensives, Zoom classes from home and socially distanced “bubble” classes, the chance to perform onstage for an international panel of esteemed judges was surely amazing.
This week, YAGP announced its list of competition winners. In addition, 200 finalists were awarded $300,000 in scholarships to internationally renowned academies, including The Royal Ballet School, Paris Opéra Ballet School, Princess Grace Academy, The John Cranko School, American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and San Francisco Ballet School.
Join us in celebrating this year’s YAGP winners, listed below. Congratulations to all!
SENIOR DIVISION
Grand Prix
Brady Farrar, 15 – The Art of Classical Ballet & Stars Dance Studio, FL
Women
First:
Sylvie Squires, 16 – Jacqueline’s School of Ballet, UT
Second:
Clara Thiele, 16 – Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education, NY
Third:
Mary Grace Koznarek, 17 – Hinsdale Academy of Dance, IL
Third:
Summer Brown, 16 – Pavlova Professional Coaching, TX
Men
First:
Yuchan Kim, 19 – Joffrey Academy of Dance, IL
Second:
Mitchell Millhollin, 15 – International Ballet Academy, NC
Third:
Keita Fujishima, 19 – Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program, NY
JUNIOR DIVISION
Women
First:
Natalie Steele, 14 – Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy, CA
Second:
Bella Jones, 13 – Elite Classical Coaching, TX
Third:
Taylor O’Meara, 13 – Master Ballet Academy, AZ
Men
First:
Marcus Taylor, 14 – Golden State Ballet, CA
Second:
Noah Campbell, 13 – The Sarasota Ballet’s Margaret Barbieri Conservatory, FL
Second:
Corbin Holloway, 13 – CityDance School and Conservatory, MD
Third:
Peter Hull, 14 – California Dance Academy, CA
PRE=COMPETITIVE DIVISION
Hope Award
Cypress Schaff, 11 – Denver Academy of Ballet, CO
Contemporary (Women)
First:
Kiera Sun, 10 – Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy, CA
Second:
Angelina Elliott, 11 – Summit Dance Shoppe, MN
Third:
Lena Garcia, 11 – Stars Dance Studio, FL
Contemporary (Men)
First:
Eric Poor, 11 – CityDance School and Conservatory, MD
Second:
Michael Savio, 9 – Stars Dance Studio, FL
Third:
Dylan Gaddis, 11 – Ballet West Academy, UT
Classical (Women)
First:
Morgan Johnson, 11 – WestMet Classical Training, MN
Second:
Maria Qixin Tian, 10 – MorningStar Dance Academy, GA
Third:
Ana Lorenza Blanco, 11 – Chasse Ballet
Classical (Men)
First:
Eric Poor, 11 – CityDance School and Conservatory, MD
Second:
William Kinloch, 11 – Ocean State Ballet, RI
Third:
Noah Lehman, 11 – Master Ballet Academy, AZ
ENSEMBLE DIVISION
Contemporary Pas de Deux Winners
First:
Odasz Dance Theatre – “Gods Creatures” with Emma VanDeWater, 18, Styles Dykes, 20
Second:
Indiana Ballet Conservatory – “Coincide” with Abigail Kimball, 15, Louis Gonzalez 17
Third:
BalletCNJ – “The Rose Has Thorns” with Micah Levine, 14, Livia Childers, 15
Classical Pas de Deux Winners
First:
Elite Classical Coaching – “The Sleeping Beauty Bluebird” with Isabella Meier 13, Zander Magolnick 15
Second:
Master Ballet Academy – “Satanella” with Maya Schonbrun 16, Cruz Vining, 16
Third:
St. Lucie Ballet – “Coppelia” with Alessandra Martinez, 17, Joshua Nunamaker, 18
Small Ensembles Winners
First:
Dance Industry Performing Arts Center – “Swan Song”
Second:
Indiana Ballet Conservatory – “Wings”
Third:
Feijoo Ballet School – “Duality”
Large Ensembles Winners
First:
Odasz Dance Theatre – “The Thinning”
Second:
Jacqueline’s School of Ballet – “Cortex”
Third:
Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts – “Approach To Cubism”
Star Action Shots, Courtesy YAGP
SPECIAL AWARDS
Outstanding Choreographer:
Andrea Astuto; Talia Favia
Outstanding School: Jacqueline’s School of Ballet
Outstanding Teacher:
Magaly Suarez
Outstanding Contemporary Award:
Styles Dykes, 20 – Odasz Dance Theatre, NY
Shelley King Award For Excellence:
Yana Peneva, 14 – Ballet Conservatory at Skyra, FL
Natalia Makarova Award:
Brianna Guagliardo, 16 – The Art of Classical Ballet, FL
Correction: A earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Corbin Holloway tied for third place in the Junior Division. He tied for second place—we apologize for the error!
