Community Invited to Dance Preview

The Gwinnett Ballet Theatre is inviting the community to see performances at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, by 10 local ballerinas who will be competing in the prestigious Youth America Grand Prix Southeastern Semifinals.

The Gwinnett Ballet Theatre is hosting the semifinals of the classical ballet competition in March. It will bring an estimated 1,000 young dancers, their parents, teachers and coaches to Gwinnett County.

Dancers selected for the competition are Claire Bockhop of Snellville, Abgrace Diprima of Lawrenceville, Kendall Greene of Lawrenceville, Madison Green of Lawrenceville, Kenzie Martin of Grayson, Bianca Melidor of Dacula, Nichole Polakowski of Snellville, Cameron Silas of Snellville, Jordan Silas of Snellville, and Madeline Whitehead of Grayson.

The dancers will be performing the pieces they will present in the competition in a studio at the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre’s new location at 1800 Macleod Drive in Lawrenceville. Chairs will be set up for guests. 

Admission is $10. Refreshments will be served.

The Youth America Grand Prix Southeastern Semifinals will take place at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center in Duluth March 1-3. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Young dancers age 9 through 19 are eligible to compete in this event, which holds semifinals in countries such as Japan, Brazil and France. There are a dozen semifinals in the USA. All semifinals lead up to the finals in New York City scheduled April 12-17 with a gala celebration April 18.

Now in its 13th year, YAGP will award more than $250,000 in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide in 2013.

The Gwinnett Marriott in Duluth will serve as the headquarters hotel for the YAGP.

To find out more about YAGP and the Atlanta area competition, visit its website at www.yagp.org.