BALLET HELP DESK

Competition Reviews

Competitions Reviewed: 13
Total Reviews: 83

Youth America Grand Prix

Indianapolis

General

Dancer Age

1
1

Competition experience

1
1

Event Details

Round

Regional

Season

2

Location

Indianapolis

Did Dancer Miss School?

1
1

Master Classes

Master Class Types

2
2

Master class teachers

  • "Can't recall."
  • "Peter Stark"

Distance from venue

1
1

How corrections were given

  • "Dancer said not everyone was given corrections. Teachers referred to some dancers specifically by name and gave them the most attention/corrections/feedback."
  • "Individual corrects. Group corrections."

What corrections were about

  • "My dancer only remembers one female teacher complimenting her feet. She did not receive many corrections."
  • "Dancing"

Teacher engagement

  • "Teachers were engaged walking the room. Contemporary teachers seemed to be especially high energy, making the class fun with their music selections."
  • "Very engaged."

Crowding

Really Crowded
1
1
Plenty of Room to Move

Master Class Feedback

Technique

1
1

Additional master class comments

  • "Masterclasses were enjoyable overall. However, dancer felt there was obvious favoritism amongst dancers that judges knew by name and of specific body types."
  • "N/a"

Performance Details

Venue name

  • "The Tarkington"
  • "Center for the performing arts - Tarkington theatre"

Venue description

  • "Nice venue. Great stadium seating, lobby area, and parking. Too many dancers squeezed into small rooms for masterclasses. They even had to shift dancers into other classes/rooms due to capacity."
  • "CFtPA has their own Marley they install. Lobby is small if there are lots of tables. Fantastic campus and venue."

Stage description

  • "Marley. Floors could get very slippery because some dancers did not follow rules and would apply rosin to their pointe shoes. Staff “overlooked” dancers doing this. Dancers would slip or fall on stage. Stage was big enough for performance but too crowded during open stage."
  • "Plenty of space. Traditionally the cftpa Marley is on the slicker side. I was at a meeting for resident companies and new Marley is being purchased. I need to check when this is happening. 2027?"

Off-stage warm-up space

  • "Dancers would warm up in hallways unless teachers could find a room for them."
  • "Not good. Hallways mostly. There is a space backstage behind the theatre that isn’t a hallway and it does get claimed by the large “YAGP friendly local studio”"

Dressing rooms

  • "Can’t describe male space. Dressing rooms could get a bit crowded with personal belongings."
  • "Provided"

Onstage warm-up

  • "Each dancer had a small amount of space to practice. Not enough for jumps or substantial movement. Certain areas of floor would get affected by rosin application too."
  • "It was fine. Not packed."

Schedule adherence

1
1

Other schedule comments

  • "If you’re not paying attention you could be late. Was supposed to have 2 hours between solo and ensemble and it turned into 30 minutes."

Staff communication

  • "I don’t think much communication was necessary as the competition ran on schedule."
  • "Not really aware of that info."

Judging

Feedback turnaround

1
1

Type of Feedback

2
2

Main takeaway

  • "My dancer always received really positive feedback. However, never anything specific that would help her achieve a “finals” score. She always seemed to be on the cusp."
  • "It was fair. A little vague."

Scoring felt fair

1
1

Why Scoring Unfair?

  • "The dancer who won 1st place in classical that year was dancing in the wrong category. She was a beloved dancer of YAGP and had been dancing as a year younger all through pre-competitive. That year she won as an 11-year old in pre-competitive but should have been in the junior category. She skipped two years ahead the following year in junior category. YAGP leaders were notified but did not have any intention of investigating the matter. They basically said YAGP is not about winning."

Awards & Scholarships

Awards ceremony

  • "The school introductions can feel a bit long, but they do a good job of moving things along quickly and in an entertaining manner."
  • "Held across the street in a large performing arts center. Organized in Indy."

Award or Training Offer Description

  • "My dancer consistently placed in the top 12 in both categories every year but never received any sort of scholarship offer with YAGP. She received winter or summer break invitations from time to time."
  • "Top 12 small ensemble. Top 24 senior classical."

Final Comments

Best aspect

  • "The opportunity to perform a solo on stage."
  • "Made me eligible for the YAGP Nashville job fair."

Worst aspect

  • "Obvious favortism and lack of integrity as displayed by awarding 1st place to a dancer in the wrong age category and showing no desire to correct."
  • "Nothing teally"

Competition culture

  • "Stereotypical"
  • "Indy is the last regional or one of the last last semi finals and it’s full of big schools"

Attendee culture

  • "Most attendees keep to their associated schools. Not much else to say."
  • "Same as above."

Suggested changes

  • "I would love to see YAGP become a truly honest competition that doesn’t show favoritism or adhere to ballet body stereotypes. My daughter matured physically faster/more than peers and honestly felt this was held against her. There was cheating taking place but the leaders didn’t care. Winners were known by name in masterclasses and given special treatment. My dancer placed at every competition but never received any scholarship offers. Isn’t that the point?"
  • "More warm up space."

Cost vs. expectation

Significantly More
1
1
Significantly Less

Time worth it

Not Worth It
1
1
Worth Every Minute

Overall rating

1
1

Anything else?

  • "I think the opportunity to perform a solo on stage and receive feedback is wonderful at any competition. Especially since many dancers never receive that opportunity at their home studios. Outside of that, I think it’s only worth it for a select few. My dancer who placed at every YAGP competition for years never actually received a scholarship offer, was never invited to finals, never felt seen in masterclasses, and witnessed a cheater win. I would say the value wasn’t there for us. We had much better experiences at other competitions."
  • "Covered it."

Youth America Grand Prix

Indianapolis

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