10th Annual YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX Held 4/17-22 At Skirball, Open To Public

Three hundred of the best young dancers ages 9 to 19 from across America and around the globe will descend on New York City for a week this spring to compete for $250,000 in scholarships and coveted spots with leading dance companies worldwide at the 10th annual YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX, to be held from April 17 to 22, 2009 at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place, at Washington Square South) and New York City Center (130 W. 56 St.) in Manhattan.

The young dancers -- selected from over 5,000 youngsters who have competed in regional YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX (YAGP) competitions throughout the year in a dozen U.S. cities as well as in Japan, Europe, Mexico and Brazil -- will spend their week in NYC in training, seminars and competitions, performing before some of the ballet's leading directors and teachers. The competition will culminate with YAGP's enormously popular Final Round on Tuesday, April 21 at 7 p.m. at NY City Center.

Alternately known as the "American Idol" of ballet and the "Internet of dance," YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX is one of the most eagerly-anticipated events on dancers', dance professionals' and dance fans' calendars each year, functioning as it does as a stepping stone for young dancers to a professional career, as well as an opportunity for top ballet schools and companies worldwide to search for talent and access the future of ballet under one roof during one week in New York City.

Recognized as the world's largest dance talent network, the ever-increasing popularity of YAGP extends again this year as the 2009 Final Round on April 21 at City Center will be open to the general public for the first time, according to YAGP's founders, the husband-and-wife team and former dancers of the Bolshoi Ballet, Gennadi and Larissa Saveliev.

"The Final Round used to be open just to the YAGP competitors and a few YAGP supporters," says Larissa Saveliev, Founder and Artistic Director of YAGP, "But the demand from audiences to see the best young dancers in the world compete in one final round kept growing, so we finally decided to hold the Final Round at City Center, whose large seating capacity will allow us to share this electrifying experience with the general public."

In addition to being eligible for scholarship money and potential job offers from major dance companies, YAGP Finalists will also be in line to perform on the City Center stage with a host of professional ballet dancers from such renowned companies as Stuttgart Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and San Francisco Ballet at YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX's 10th Anniversary Gala, "Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow," on Thursday, April 22 at 7 p.m.

YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX was founded as America's first student ballet scholarship competition and has quickly become one of the most closely-watched programs in the dance world: over 25,000 young dancers have competed in YAGP's international dance competitions since YAGP was begun by the Savelievs in 1999. YAGP has awarded over $2 million in scholarship money, and over 250 of its alumni now perform in such celebrated dance companies as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, among others.

This year's YAGP Gala will, in fact, train the spotlight on YAGP past, present and future as the roster of dancers for the April 22nd "Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow" concert at City Center will be comprised of YAGP alumni from major companies along with young dancers from the 2009 Finals Competition.

A total of over 5,000 dancers are expected to have participated in the 2009 YAGP domestic and international competitions this year in preparation for the April Finals competition: to date, winners who will travel to New York have been chosen from contests held in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Spartanburg (SC), Japan, Brazil, Mexico and Europe, along with upcoming contests in San Francisco (Feb. 27-Mar. 1), Torrington, CT (Mar. 6-8) and San Diego (Mar. 13-15).

YAGP participants compete in Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dance categories, in 3 age divisions:

Senior, ages 15 to 19
Junior, ages 12 to 14
Pre-competitive, ages 9 to 11

One of the key elements of YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX programs is to provide opportunities for talented youngsters who might otherwise have been overlooked were it not for YAGP's grassroots competition and mentoring programs.

Larissa Saveliev notes, "We have quite a few examples of YAGP alumni who have been overlooked in large company auditions, but were noticed at YAGP and are now rising stars at such companies as American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Houston Ballet, and others."

At every level, from local competitions and the Finals in New York, YAGP dancers are seen, taught, guided and judged by an impressive array of directors and faculty members from some of the top ballet programs in the world, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Austrailian Ballet School, Canada's National Ballet School, Stuttgart Ballet (Germany), La Scala Ballet Academy (Italy), Paris Opera Ballet School, and England's Royal Ballet School.

Co-founder of YAGP Gennadi Saveliev notes that the most successful aspect of YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX is that it functions as much more than a mere dance competition. "YAGP is an ongoing international festival of dance, a global network that keeps working throughout the year, connecting dancers, students, festivals, companies and schools worldwide."

For tickets to the YAGP Final Round ($25) or the YAGP 10th Anniversary Gala, "Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow" ($45 - $150), call CityTix® at 212.581.1212, visit www.nycitycenter.org, or purchase tickets in person at the City Center Box Office located at West 55th Street between 6 & 7th Avenues.

Competitions and classes from April 17 to 20 prior to the Final Round on April 21 will be held at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at New York University.

For more information about YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX, visit the organization's website at www.yagp.org

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