Midterms week!

Hello Everyone!

Its another busy week here in the Mercyhurst Dance Department. Not only is it midterms week but several of our students are getting ready for the Youth America Grand Prix competition this weekend in Chicago. Midterms in the dance department vary depending on the teacher of the class. They range from learning a combination and videotaping it for evaluation, writing a paper,or having a conference with your teacher.

The Youth America Grand Prix competition is the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition that awards over $250,000 annually in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide. The competition is held annually around the world and in New York City, and is open to dance students of all nationalities 9-19 years old. Launched in 1999 by two former dancers of the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet, Larissa and Gennadi Saveliev, YAGP is also a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization created with a mission to provide extraordinary educational and professional opportunities to young dancers, acting as a stepping stone to a professional dance career. Now in its 12th Season, YAGP has awarded over 2 million in scholarships to the leading dance schools worldwide. Over 25,000 dancers worldwide have participated in YAGP’s international workshops, competitions, and audition classes. Over 200 YAGP alumni are now dancing with 50 companies around the world, including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, among others.

In other news, Lehrer Dance taught a master class here on Sunday. About 25 students attended the master class and had an amazing time learning and performing the contemporary dance combinations. The Lehrer style focused on using your entire body to dance and reaching past your boundaries in your movement. It was an amazing experience for all those involved and the good news is they will be returning to Mercyhurst for the Erie Festival of Dance next weekend where they will both perform and teach a master class!

“I get up, I walk, I fall down. Meanwhile I keep on dancing.” - Author Unknown