Dancing Arts Center Students Compete in Youth America Grand Prix

Holliston, Massachusetts – February 6, 2022 – Dancing Arts Center is proud to announce that seven of its students will be competing in the Youth America Grand Prix regional competition to be held at the Hanover Theater for the Performing Arts in Worcester, Massachusetts from February 10-13, 2022.

Each year Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the world’s largest global network of dance, hosts a season of regional events for top ballet and contemporary dance students in the U.S. and around the world, culminating in the YAGP finals. Dancing Arts Center students have been participating in the regional YAGP semi-finals for well over a decade. In the 2022 season, seven local dancers will travel to Worcester to present their classical and contemporary pieces. 11-year-olds Amelie (Lili) Perrott of Holliston, Brooke Holden of Medfield, and Natalie Turovskiy of Bolton will present solo variations from the ballets Flames of Paris and Paquita in the Pre-Competitive category. Holliston 13-year-olds competing in the Junior category are Clementine (Coco) Perrott dancing a variation from Satanella, Jacqueline (Jax) Vaughn dancing a variation from Flower Festival at Genzano, and Avery Marion dancing Pas de Trois Act I variation from Swan Lake. Miss Perrott and Miss Vaughn will also present pieces in the Junior Contemporary category titled “Of the Other Side” and “Furtherance” respectively. In the Senior category, 15-year-old Gabrielle Schmid of Holliston will dance a Swanhilda variation from the ballet Coppèlia as well as a contemporary solo titled “Repose.” The ballet pieces were set and staged by Dancing Arts Center co-directors Gregg Saulnier and Patrick Notaro and faculty member Kristy DuBois, while the contemporary pieces were choreographed by faculty member Stephanie Shaw. All students train under the direction of Gregg Saulnier and Patrick Notaro at Dancing Arts Center in Holliston.

Following the 2021 YAGP regional competition, Miss Clementine Perrott went on to the YAGP finals held at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida, leading to her acceptance to National Ballet of Canada’s school of ballet, while Miss Schmid placed in the top 12 in the Junior Classical category and went on to participate in American Ballet Theater’s summer program at Kaatsbaan. Miss Schmid also danced the role of Sugarplum Fairy for the second time in Dancing Arts Center’s production of The Nutcracker at the Norwood Theater in Norwood, Massachusetts.

“This group of dancers is part of a long history for Dancing Arts Center students with Youth America Grand Prix. Each brings her own special quality to the stage and we’re confident that DAC will be beautifully represented by these talented, promising young dancers,” said Mr. Saulnier. “For them, it’s truly a chance to step onto the world stage and have the unique opportunity to interact with other dancers from around the state, country, and world. They’ve worked hard and we’re excited to cheer them on as they elevate excellence!”

About Dancing Arts Center:

Located in Holliston, Massachusetts, Dancing Arts Center provides children of all ages world-class instruction in classical ballet, grounded in the American Ballet Theatre® National Training Curriculum, as well as modern dance, improvisation, tap, jazz, and choreography. With a faculty of teaching artists, a variety of performance opportunities throughout the year, exceptional summer programs, and exposure to professional companies, Dancing Arts Center is committed to providing a uniquely supportive artistic environment where young people can embark on their own journeys of personal growth.

Open Enrollment is available year-round with prorated tuition and discounts for families. Open classes are also available for teens and adults. Dancing Arts Center is currently enrolling summer programs for students of all ages.

For more information about the Dancing Arts Center, please contact DAC Directors Patrick Notaro and Gregg Saulnier at (508) 429-7577 or dancingartscenter@gmail.com, or visit www.dancingartscenter.com.

About Youth America Grand Prix:

For more information about Youth America Grand Prix please visit https://yagp.org

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