YAGP 2016 Winners Announced

May 1, 2016

Last week’s Youth America Grand Prix Finals was a display of impressive dancing from hugely talented young competitors. Ranging from 9 to 19 years old and hailing from countries as far away as Switzerland and Australia, they gathered in New York City to compete in the senior, junior and pre-competitive age divisions. The awards ceremony was held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last Friday, and prizes went beyond medals and bragging rights. A number of ballet organizations worldwide, including San Francisco Ballet School and The Royal Ballet School, handed out training scholarships, and companies like Houston Ballet and Dutch National Ballet even awarded some professional contracts. Here are 2016’s top YAGP winners:

Grand Prix

Joonhyuk Jun (17)—UK/Korea


Joonhyuk Jun. Photo courtesy of Siggul/VAM Productions.

Senior Women

1st Place: Yu Hang (16)—China

2nd Place: Thays Golz (18)—Brazil

3rd Place: Makensie Henson (15)—Australia


Yu Hang. Photo courtesy of Siggul/VAM Productions.

Senior Men

1st Place: Narcisco Alejandro Medina Arias (17)—Cuba

2nd Place: Stanislaw Wegrzyn (17)—Germany/Poland

3rd Place: Motomi Kiyota (15)—Japan

Youth Grand Prix

Antonio Casalinho (12)—Portugal


Antonio Casalinho. Photo courtesy of Siggul/VAM Productions.

Junior Women

1st Place: Ashley Lew (12)—USA

2nd Place: Eri Shibata (14)—Japan

3rd Place (tie): Brigid Walker (14)—USA

3rd Place (tie): Kotomi Yamada (13)—Japan

Junior Men

1st Place: Itsuku Masuda (12)—Japan

2nd Place (tie): David Perez (12)—Mexico

2nd Place (tie): Samuel Gest (14)—USA

3rd Place (tie): Sheung-Yin Chan (14)—Hong Kong

3rd Place (tie): Yago Guerra (14)—Brazil


Itsuku Masuda. Photo courtesy of Siggul/VAM Productions.

Outstanding Artistry Award

Rafael Valdez Ramirez (18)—Colombia

Natalia Makarova Award

Kenedy Kallas (15)—USA

Shelley King Award for Excellence

Jolie Rose Lombardo (12)—USA

Mary Day Artistry Award

Julia Rose Sherrill (17)—USA

Vincenzo Di Primo (18)—Austria

Hope Award

Madison Penney (11)—USA


Madison Penney. Photo courtesy of Siggul/VAM Productions.

Outstanding Choreographer Award

Garrett Smith

Travis Wall

Guilherme Maciel

Click here for a full list of 2016 YAGP winners.

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