What It Feels Like to Be at a Major Competition Again

When asked to describe the energy at this month’s Youth America Grand Prix Finals, judge Sascha Radetsky had one word: “Stratospheric.” More than 800 dancers from around the United States—selected from 10,000 who’d taken part in regional events—competed onstage at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida, for the competition’s season Finals […]

What I Learned About Judges By Becoming One for Youth America Grand Prix

What’s actually going on in judges’ heads? I got a first-hand chance to find out when, over three days in early March, I judged 334 classical and contemporary solos from dancers ages 9 to 19 at the Boston semi-finals of Youth America Grand Prix. Putting exact numbers to qualities like “musicality” and “épaulement” is just […]

The 7 Youth America Grand Prix Competitors You Should Have Your Eye On

Youth America Grand Prix, the world’s largest student ballet competition, is coming up on the end of its 20th-anniversary season. As aspiring pre-professionals gear up for this year’s New York Finals, we’re taking a look at a handful of YAGP participants who are already generating major buzz. Gabriel Figueredo Age: 18 School: John Cranko School […]

How Young Is Too Young For Pointe Work?

In 2018, the Youth America Grand Prix added a rule: For participants under age 12, performing on pointe became strongly discouraged. For those under 11, it became prohibited. The competition organizers made these changes after jury members, teachers and others raised concerns about students being pushed to perform on pointe too early. Larissa Saveliev, YAGP […]

Can You Really Network With the Judges At Competitions?

At competitions, the people who are scoring you can be the biggest industry leaders in the room. But is there a way to network with them with these judges? Three top competition judges share their advice on how to do it in the most strategic way—and the pet peeves that turn them off. Mandy Moore—The […]

Why Do Pro Dancers Still Enter Competitions?

As a student, Katherine Barkman competed in several prestigious ballet competitions, and even won first place at the Youth America Grand Prix in Philadelphia. But at age 21, already a guest principal dancer with Ballet Manila, she decided to return to the competition stage as a professional. She found herself humbled by an experience at […]

Is the US Government Cracking Down on Artists' Visas?

In late March, The Joyce Theater’s annual gala performance included a last-minute substitution: Blueprint, by choreographer Pam Tanowitz. The trio took the place of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s Faun, after two Paris Opéra Ballet dancers were unable to secure visas to appear onstage in the U.S. “It was a shock,” says Linda Shelton, executive director at […]