Competitive Edge

Competitive Edge

Elite ballet competitions have become a fact of life. Considering the highly competitive job market these days, the Prix de Lausanne, Youth America Grand Prix and others like them provide access to apprenticeships, scholarships, exposure and, if nothing else, the...
Competitive Edge

Young, Talented And Hopeful

Sixteen-year-old Daisy Long takes the stage during the quarter-finals at Switzerland’s Prix de Lausanne, dancing the contemporary variation she’s selected—Jirí Kylián’s One of a Kind, a somber solo, set to a melancholy cello, in...
Competitive Edge

Touring With The Stars

For the first time ever, Youth America Grand Prix is producing “Ballet Grand Prix,” a gala tour presenting YAGP winners and some of today’s biggest ballet talent: Jose Manuel Carreño, Irina Dvorovenko, Michele Wiles, Drew Jacoby, Rubinald...
Competitive Edge

The Pros' Pre-Show Rituals

While warming up in the wings today at the Germantown Performing Arts Center, I noticed some pre-show rituals that the professional dancers used. Running around the stage seemed to be the most popular. Everyone was very relaxed, joking around and laughing....
Competitive Edge

The Touring Life

Traveling is a big part of a tour. Today, the Ballet Grand Prix group of students took an eight hour long bus trip! The drive took us to our destination in Alabama, where we would spend the night and rest for another four hour drive the next day. While on the bus, my...
Competitive Edge

Nervousness Sets In

Off to the next city: Charleston! We drove for four hours before finally arriving in South Carolina. After a long morning on the bus, we moved into our new hotel, then scurried off to rehearsal at the Galliard Auditorium. The stage was really big, as was the audience....
Competitive Edge

Dance Like Everyone's Watching

Wow! Already time for the second performance? The time on the tour has been flying by so quickly!  My schedule today consisted of the following: At 9 AM my studio members went down to have breakfast, where we saw all the other student performers and some of the...
Competitive Edge

Final Bows

The time has come for the last performance of the Ballet Grand Prix Tour. The Fillmore at the Jackie Gleason Theater auditorium is beautiful. Chandeliers hanging from the ceiling make me feel very special while I am on stage. I really wanted to enjoy the last...

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