UNCSA School of Dance students and faculty win awards at Youth America Grand Prix Finals and Regional Semifinals
Several high school students and faculty members from the School of Dance at UNCSA received honors at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Finals in Tampa, Florida, and Regional Semifinals in Winston-Salem. In addition, two students in the Preparatory Dance Program placed in the ensemble and junior division categories during the semifinals.
YAGP is the world’s largest international student dance competition. Regional semifinals are held each year in January through March in U.S. cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston. Winston-Salem has been a host city since 2018. Internationally, regional semifinals take place in Paris; Barcelona, Spain; Berlin; and Osaka, Japan, among other locations.
“Participating in YAGP is a great opportunity to be seen by industry professionals and peers in other institutions,” said Associate Professor Tchoupakov. “All these awards are proof that students at UNCSA are on the right track for a successful and prominent career in dance. It’s a rewarding learning experience, unlike anything else, to be on stage with other aspiring dancers from all over the world.”
Professor Ilya Kozadayev, Jacob Duehring, Julian Pecoraro, Associate Professor Tchoupakov, Will Gyves and Jett Lecamu
At the YAGP Finals, high school sophomore Will Gyves, junior Jett Lecamu, junior Jacob Duehring and junior Julian Pecoraro won first place in the small ensembles category, performing “Flames of Paris Pas de Quatre.”
Additionally, all four were finalists in the senior men’s category. Gyves and Duehring also placed in the top 12 in the senior age division.
During the YAGP Regional Semifinals in Winston-Salem in January, Lecamu won the Grand Prix Award for best performance in the classical and contemporary category and placed in the top six in the senior age division. Gyves won second place in the classical ballet category and placed in the top six in the senior age division. Pecoraro won third place in the classical ballet category and placed in the top six in the contemporary dance category.
Will Gvyes, Jett Lecamu and Julian Pecoraro at the YAGP semifinals
Pecoraro, Gyves, Lecamu and high school sophomore Graham Wissinger took second place in the ensembles category.
High school freshman Mariella Saunders won third place in the contemporary dance category. High school sophomore Daria Prokhnitski placed in the top 24 in the classical ballet category.
Preparatory Dance Program student Polka Militaire placed in the top 12 in the ensembles category while Lucius Hamblen placed in third and sixth places for the junior age division.
Faculty members Tchoupakov, Kozadayev and Lindsey were awarded the Outstanding Teachers Award during the YAGP Regional Semifinals. During the finals, Tchoupakov taught multiple master classes for different groups of dancers. He also staged and rehearsed a Grand Defile involving over 375 dancers from all over the world, ages 9 to 19, for the YAGP gala “Stars of Today meet the Stars of Tomorrow,” which featured all UNCSA finalists dancing.
Associate Professor Tchoupakov with Will Gyves and Jacob Duehring
The School of Dance and its students have been recognized at the YAGP Regional Semifinals since it was established in Winston-Salem. Lecamu, Gyves and Pecoraro are among previous winners from UNCSA.
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April 13, 2023