Congratulations to the 2021 YAGP Winners!

May 27, 2021

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”

Styles Dykes, a young Black man, wears white biker shorts and is shown sliding down into a center split while reaching his arms forward. He dances in front of a bright purple backdrop.
Styles Dykes, winner of the Outstanding Contemporary Award

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!