Tanya Pearson Academy Student Grace Carroll Wins the Youth America Grand Prix

PRESS RELEASE: 2 May 2019

Being selected to perform in the New York Finals rounds of the world’s largest ballet competition (the Youth America Grand Prix) is already a major achievement for any aspiring dancer. Then to be selected as 1 of only 20 YAGP Grand Finalist from over 116 Senior Woman NY Soloist competitors, and having the opportunity to perform at the Lincoln Centre is career changing.

Young Sydney student Grace Carroll impressed the large jury throughout the week of the competition and finished as the overall winner of the Senior Women’s age 15-19 solo category of YAGP 2019. Grace was the only Australian selected for the NY finals in this age division.

The YAGP soloist competitors are assessed throughout the week both in their classical and contrasting contemporary variations on stage, as well as in their daily classes. The judging panel is comprised of over 15 of the worlds most reputable teachers, Ballet Academy Directors and Company Directors who know exactly how these demanding and challenging principal classical variations should be executed and who have the role of selecting students who demonstrate the most potential for the various scholarships on offer.

Grace performed the Principal Girls solo variation from Paquita for her classical variation and then a contrasting contemporary variation choreographed by Adam Blanch (senior faculty member at the Tanya Pearson Academy). Grace demonstrated clean and refined technique, strength, but above all maturity and artistry that set her apart from most others – a very special and unique performance quality that one would normally see in a far more mature dancer.

Grace Carroll has received the following offers from the Youth America Grand Prix:

• Young Artist Contract with The West Australian Ballet.
• Placements to The Winnipeg Ballet School Canada, The Dutch National Ballet Academy in The Netherlands, The Finnish National Ballet Academy & The Ballet Academy Munich, Scholarship to The Princess Grace Academy of Classical Dance in Monaco, the San Francisco Ballet School and the Joffrey Academy of Dance, US.
• She has also been invited to a private audition for the Paris Opera Ballet School which she will undertake in a few weeks.

Stephanie McQuire, at the young age of just 13yrs was also selected as a Grand Finalist of the Junior Woman’s division and offered a Full Year Scholarship to the John Cranko School of the Stuttgart Ballet.

Tashi Goodrich (14rs) was awarded a Short Term Scholarship to the Berlin State Ballet Academy.

Angus McLachlan (13yrs), TPA Senior Transition students was awarded a scholarship to the 2020 Houston Ballet Academy 5 weeks Summer School.