Youth America Grand Prix names its Paris winners as the tour heads to Buenos Aires
Kirill Kopaeiv, 13, took the Youth Grand Prix Award, while Spain’s Jose Antonio Checa Ballet was named Outstanding School and collected several individual honours.
Paris was the meeting point for ballet’s next generation from 29 October to 1 November, when Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) – which describes itself as the world’s largest ballet scholarship competition – brought together young dancers from across France and further afield. They competed for top honours and the chance to be spotted by some of the world’s leading ballet institutions, in a programme that ranged from classical variations to contemporary choreography and ensemble pieces.
The top prizes
The weekend’s most coveted award, the Youth Grand Prix, went to Kirill Kopaeiv, 13, who represents Portugal’s Conservatorio Internacional de Ballet e Dança Annarella Sanchez.
In the Senior Classical division, first place in the women’s category went to Alana González, 15, of Jose Antonio Checa Ballet in Spain, and in the men’s to Márton Balog, 17, of the Hungarian Dance University. Senior Contemporary was won by Nina Ros, 15, from France, and Pavel Stoyanov, 17, from Bulgaria.
The younger dancers
The junior categories were just as hotly contested. Ling Ren, 14, who competed independently, and Yangqiangdi Liu, 13, of China’s Shuyi Ballet, took first place in Junior Classical. Junior Contemporary was topped by Maci Smith, 14, of the Claudia Dean Academy in Australia, and Evan Noblet, 14, of ADN Danse: Académie de Danse Noblet in France.
Among the youngest competitors, Agnia Kovaleva, 10, representing Belgium, and William Frost, 9, from the United States, won first place in Pre-Competitive Classical.
Group work was recognised too. Jose Antonio Checa Ballet received the Outstanding School Award, rounding off a successful weekend in which its dancers also picked up several individual distinctions.
From Paris to Tampa
YAGP was founded in 1999 by Larissa and Gennadi Saveliev and now reaches more than 15,000 young dancers a year, offering access to scholarships, mentoring and training. It has helped launch thousands of careers, and its alumni dance with companies including American Ballet Theatre, Dutch National Ballet, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and The Royal Ballet.
After Paris, the international tour moves on to Buenos Aires, Argentina (18–21 November); Bangkok, Thailand (21–24 November); Jakarta, Indonesia (27–29 November); Barcelona, Spain (3–7 December); Genoa, Italy (14–18 December); and Lagoa, Portugal (15–21 February 2027). The season also includes YAGP’s international Job Fair in Stuttgart, Germany (13–14 February), which connects aspiring professionals with companies looking for new dancers.
The tour culminates in the YAGP Finals in Tampa, Florida, from 26 April to 2 May 2027, where young dancers from around the world will perform in front of representatives of leading ballet institutions.
Photos by LK Studios
