For Immediate Release
 
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Aurelie Dupont and Manuel Legris to Star in Youth America Grand Prix 2007 Gala,

“Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow” at New York City Center on April 30, 2007

 

 

The YAGP 2007 GALA will feature winners of the international student ballet competition and:

 

n   Aurelie Dupont, Manuel Legris                             (Paris Opera Ballet)

n  Marianela Nunez, Thiago Soares – NY Debut        (The Royal Ballet)

n  Alicia Amatriain, Jason Reilly – NY Debut              (Stuttgart Ballet)

n  Cecilia Kerche, Vitor Luiz – NY Debut                   (Ballet of the Teatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro)

n   Isabella Boylston (YAGP alumna), David Hallberg     (American Ballet Theatre)

n   Stella Abrera, Sascha Radetsky                          (American Ballet Theatre)

n  Paloma Herrera                                                 (American Ballet Theatre)

n  Ashley Bouder                                                  (New York City Ballet)

n   Joseph Phillips (YAGP alumnus)                            (San Francisco Ballet)

n  Rubinald Pronk, Clifford Williams                           (Complexions Contemporary

n  Company members of MOMIX                         Ballet)

n   Desmond Richardson (emcee/host) 

 

“Stars of Today meet the Stars of Tomorrow” GALA n  NY City Center n  West 55th Street b/w 6 & 7 Ave’s  

Monday, April 30, 2007 at 7:00pm

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

 

 

New York, NY (March 22, 2007) – International ballet super-stars Aurelie Dupont and Manuel Legris will lead an unprecedented gathering of ballet stars from around the world in Youth America Grand Prix’s annually sold-out “Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow” Gala on April 30th, 2007 at New York City Center.  The Gala will conclude the 8th season of Youth America Grand Prix – America’s first and the world’s largest international student ballet scholarship competition.  The YAGP 2007 New York City Finals will take place on April 27-30, 2007, when finalists selected from semi-final rounds all over the globe will compete for over $200,000 in scholarships to 30 of the world’s leading dance schools and the professional contract to the ABT Studio Company, as well as job offers from other companies in the U.S. and abroad.  The culmination of the Finals – the Gala held at NY City Center on April 30th  – will feature an all-star cast alongside some of the best young dancers from around the world.  The Gala will also present never-before-seen pairing of dancers from the world’s leading dance companies and groundbreaking, contemporary choreography. The YAGP 2007 Gala will be hosted by Desmond Richardson.

 

Tickets to “Stars of Today meet the Stars of Tomorrow” Gala (Monday, April 30th, 2007 at 7:00pm) are $150, $100, $75, and $45, and can be purchased by calling CityTix® at 212.581.1212, online at www.nycitycenter.org or in person at City Center Box Office located on West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. For more info, visit www.YAGP.org .

 

Limited-availability tickets (press members only) to the Final Round of the competition on Sunday, April 29 at 5pm at the MLK HS Auditorium (Amsterdam Ave at 65th Street) can be requested by calling 917.309.3957 or at PR@YAGP.org.

 

YAGP 2007 Season is sponsored by Bloch, Capezio, Grishko, Gaynor Minden, So’Dança, Discount Dance Supply, Dance Magazine, Pointe magazine, Dance Spirit magazine, Sylvia Co., Swarovski, and Tutu.com.

 

 

Aurelie Dupont received her training at the Paris Opera School and joined Paris Opera Ballet in 1989 at the age of 16.  In 1998 she was named “Etoile.”  Having danced as a guest artist all over the globe, Dupont has performed virtually every major classical role and leading roles in works by major contemporary choreographers, including Roland Petit, William Forsythe, John Neumeier, Jiri Kylian, Angelin Prejlocaj, and Pina Bausch. She won the Gold Medal at Varna IBC in 1992 and was the recipient of French Prix du Cercle Carpeaux in 1993.  In 2001, she received the prestigious Benois de la Danse prize and was named a French National Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters.

 

Manuel Legris is one of the few legendary ballet stars still performing today.  In 1986, he was named "Etoile" by Rudolf Nureyev on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. He has performed as a guest artist with the Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, the National Ballet of Cuba, the Tokyo Ballet, the Monte Carlo Ballet, and Stuttgart Ballet, among many others. His numerous honors and awards include the Nijinsky Prize, the Léonide Massine Prize, and the induction as the French National Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters.

 

“We are thrilled to present such an amazing array of talent led by the incomparable Aurelie Dupont and Manuel Legris,” says Founder and Artistic Director of YAGP, Larissa Saveliev. “These international ballet superstars have not performed in New York in a long time, and we are honored that they chose Youth America Grand Prix as a deserving venue to return to New York and share their brilliant artistry with the New York audiences. We are also proud to present three New York debuts: the hottest principals of The Royal Ballet, Marianela Nunez and Thiago Soarez; Stuttgart Ballet’s leading principals, Alicia Amatriain and Jason Reilly; and the preeminent Brazilian mega-star, Cecilia Kerche, who is extremely popular in Latin America and is one of Natalia Makarova’s favorite ballerinas.” Also on the boards is a World Premiere of a piece by Benjamin Millepied for ABT Principal, David Hallberg, and a YAGP alumna, Isabella Boylston, also with ABT.

 

The Co-Founder of YAGP (currently soloist with ABT), Gennadi Saveliev, adds, “The YAGP Gala not only gives a chance to marvel at the world’s leading ballet stars rarely seen in New York, but it also presents an unprecedented opportunity to see the best young dance talent from all over the globe.  The winners of the competition – as well as the two YAGP alumni on this year’s Gala program who are now professional ballet artists – represent the future of ballet.”

 

Youth America Grand Prix is America’s first student ballet scholarship competition, founded in 1999 by two former Bolshoi Ballet dancers, Larissa and Gennadi Saveliev.  In only 8 years it has become the world’s largest student ballet competition. The competition and its workshops are open to students of all nationalities ages 9-19.  Conducted annually throughout the United States and abroad (Brazil, Mexico, Japan, and Italy in 2008), YAGP is the “internet of the dance world,” a global network of opportunity connecting dancers, teachers, schools and companies all over the globe.  Each year, YAGP culminates with a Final Round in New York City and a Gala performance at NY City Center.

 

Since its inception, Youth America Grand Prix has become an important part of New York City’s cultural life.  It has grown into an internationally known annual meeting place for dance students and professionals. It is endorsed by the UNESCO, NYC Mayors Bloomberg and Giuliani, NY State Senator Hillary Clinton, and state governments throughout the world.

 

In YAGP’s 8 years of operation, 15,000 young dancers from around the world have participated in Youth America Grand Prix competitions and workshops worldwide.  Well over a million dollars have been awarded in scholarships to the world’s foremost dance schools.  Over 150 YAGP Alumni are now dancing with some 50 companies around the globe, including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg, and many others.

 

YAGP 2007 Jury Panel will include, among others (full details at www.yagp.org):

Philip Broomhead, Ballet master of Houston Ballet

Franco de Vita, Director of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at ABT

Eva Evdokimova, Prima Ballerina Assoluta, representing Princess Grace Academy of Classical Dance (Monaco)

Deborah Hess, Faculty Member, Canada’s National Ballet School (Canada)

Marianne Kruuse, Director of Hamburg Ballet School (Germany) 

Tadeusz Matacz, Director of the Stuttgart Ballet’s John Cranko School (Germany)

Arlene Minkhorst, Director of Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School (Canada) 

Kirk Peterson, Artistic Director, ABT Studio Company

Elizabeth Platel, Director of Paris Opera Ballet School (France)

Marilyn Rowe, Director of Australian Ballet School (Australia)

Gailene Stock, Director of the Royal Ballet School (U.K.)

Garry Trinder, Director of New Zealand School of Dance (New Zealand)

Septime Webre, Artistic Director, Washington Ballet 

 

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