YAGP

Youth America Grand Prix Training

DanceWorks now offers individual training for students interested in participating in the annual Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) competition. Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is the world’s largest student ballet competition held in Seattle each year. Dancers between the ages of 9-19 are able to compete. DanceWorks is one of the few select studios in the Clark County area to train and send dancers to YAGP each year.

What is YAGP?

YAGP, short for Youth America Grand Prix, is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering talent and providing educational opportunities in ballet and contemporary dance. Renowned as the largest student ballet competition globally, YAGP offers more than $250,000 in scholarships annually to aspiring dancers worldwide. Beyond competitions, YAGP serves as a vital nexus in the global dance community, connecting young talent with leading dance companies and institutions.

Established in 1999 and headquartered in New York, YAGP’s mission centers on nurturing dancers aged 9–19 from diverse backgrounds through scholarship auditions, performance platforms, and educational initiatives. Open to students of all nationalities, YAGP accommodates both younger and older participants, allowing them to compete in categories such as Ensemble or Pas de Deux, provided the average age falls within the 9–19 range.

In 2024, YAGP witnessed over 12,000 dancers auditioning across 30 cities and 15 countries in the United States during the semi-final rounds. From this pool, 500 outstanding performers have been chosen to advance to the highly anticipated YAGP 2024 SEASON FINALS, slated to take place in New York City.

General DanceWorks YAGP Guidelines

  • This is an “Invitation Only” competition. Dancers are invited to compete by DanceWorks ballet faculty, if we feel the dancer has reached a certain level of proficiency with their Ballet.
  • Dancers must compete 2 solos; a Classical Ballet Variation & a Contemporary solo as a minimum.
  • First year dancers will perform one Classical Ballet Variation and one Contemporary solo. After their first year, dancers may be recommended to add an additional Contemporary solo or Classical Ballet Variation.
  • Classical Ballet Variations are chosen by DanceWorks Ballet staff. Ballet Variations are taught within the private lesson time. Dancers must be registered in a Ballet class at DanceWorks & remain in class for the full season.
  • Contemporary solos are choreographed at the studio’s solo rates & times. Dancers must be registered in a Contemporary class at DanceWorks & remain in class for the full season.