The Youth America Grand Prix‘s international ballet competition was hosted last week at the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center on April 13. There in New York, the dance stars of tomorrow performed alongside today’s prominent ballerinas.
How inspiring it was to witness those young dancers from all over the world dancing together as if they were all speaking the same language. The art of dance is one of the oldest across cultures. Dance enables the ultimate expression of feeling with the body telling stories and communicating through choreography.
Looking at a new generation full of hopes was beautiful, refreshing, and inspiring. One young dancer spun gracefully and elegantly on stage. Another, a male dancer, looked like the personification of a sculpture by David.
The second act featured established dancers in ballet, modern, ballroom, and more. The couple who won the world ballroom dance competition was astonishing. The female partner wore two different shoes, a stiletto and a pointe. The male spun her wildly, making it all look so easy.
The 2017 Youth America Grand Prix
In between performances, internationally acclaimed American dancer, artistic director, choreographer, coach, judge, consultant, and teacher Bruce Marks was rewarded with a Lifetime Achievement Award. His speech was so touching, quoting Churchill who was asked to cut arts funding to support the war effort and replied, “Then what are we fighting for?” Marks concluded by asking us all to stand and keep fighting for the arts.
