YAGP 2016 Winners Announced
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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