Northern Plains Dance is embarking on its first trip to the Youth America Grand Prix in Phoenix, AZ next week. Here is a Q&A with NPD Director, Hollis Mackintosh Heid, about all things YAGP.

What is YAGP?

Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is the world’s largest global network of dance.

The YAGP mission is to support and develop world-class dancers, ages 9-19, of all economic, ethnic, and geographic backgrounds by providing scholarship auditions, performance and education opportunities, and by serving as the global network of dance, connecting students, teachers, schools, dance companies, dancers, and audiences.

It fulfills its mission of dance education through scholarship auditions, master classes, alumni services, educational and outreach activities, performances, and films.

YAGP reaches over 12,000 dance students annually by holding workshops, scholarship auditions, master classes and audition classes in 25 U.S cities and 8 international locations. Each season culminates in the week-long New York Finals, where more than 1,200 of the world’s most promising dancers receive in-depth mentoring and greater scholarship, professional, and performance opportunities. 

What made you decide YAGP was a good fit for Northern Plains Dance?

As our students are exploring more and more options for additional training, like master classes and nationally ranked summer programs, I thought participating in YAGP would a good addition to the options we make available to our students. Our students who participate have to opportunity to work one-on-one with both guest choreographers and NPD faculty to learn choreography and have private coaching sessions, furthering their dance education in deep and meaningful ways.

What should the students attending expect in a first year? How does the event work?

This first year is a learning experience for everyone!  While we have some guidance from my peers who have participated in YAGP events previously, this is a whole new ball game for NPD.  The competition begins on Friday morning with Pre-Competitive (9-11) and Junior (12-14) age groups competing in both Classical and Contemporary solos all day. Saturday’s events center around Senior (15-19) classical and contemporary solos, all age Pas de Deux, and Ensemble competitions and culminate in the Awards Ceremony.  Sunday is all master classes held at Ballet Arizona with classes in Classical Technique, Women’s Variations, and Contemporary Repertoire. NPD will have 2 dancers in the Junior Classical solos, 3 dancers in the Junior Contemporary solos, and one Ensemble featuring 6 dancers.  Eight dancers will participate in Sunday’s Master Classes.

What sort of planning has gone into the event for you and the students?

We started YAGP preparation back in September when dancers were invited to audition for the opportunity to compete on behalf of NPD.  Those chosen to perform classical solos then began the processes of selecting a variation from the list provided by YAGP.  When our first Dance+ choreographer, Nadine DeLoughy arrived in early October, those performing contemporary solos as well as the ensemble had the opportunity to learn their choreography.  We are so thrilled with the material that Nadine gave to these dancers, her years of experience choreographing for YAGP as well as her amazing ability to showcase individual talent really shows.

Anything else you would like to share?

I am so incredibly proud of these dancers (and these parents) for embarking on this adventure with us.  I have seen each one of them grow through this experience and I can’t wait to see what else they are able to learn during the event itself.