Photos: Hundreds of Dancers Compete at Youth America Grand Prix L.A. Regionals

Hundreds of dancers from Los Angeles and across California competed last weekend at what is billed as the World's Largest Ballet Scholarship Competition. Youth America Grand Prix held its L.A. regionals, and the winners have been announced. Dancers received, and continue to receive, scholarships to top schools and companies worldwide, as well as cash prizes.

YAGP travels city-to-city around the world to scout future ballet stars, in a format organizers compare to American Idol holding auditions, ensuring dancers have an equal opportunity to be seen. The Finals will be held in Tampa, FL in April, and winners from the Los Angeles regionals are invited to compete at Finals.

A full list of the L.A. Regional Competition winners is available at yagp.org.

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Aspiring ballet dancers, ages 9–19, from across California took the stage at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Los Angeles auditions, October 9–11, competing for scholarships, awards, and the chance to advance to YAGP's Finals.

Top dancers will be invited to the YAGP Finals in Tampa, Florida, in April 2027, where they will perform alongside talented young dancers from around the world and be seen by leading ballet school and company directors. YAGP holds auditions in 10+ countries and 25+ American cities each year to ensure dancers from all backgrounds have an equal opportunity to share their talent.

For many dancers, YAGP is where a professional career begins. Alumni have gone on to join some of the world's most prestigious companies, including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, and Royal Ballet.

Hundreds of local ballet students danced for judges from leading companies and schools around the world.

The competition was held at Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr, Irvine, California 92612, on Friday, October 9, 2026 from 3:30 - 8pm and Saturday, October 10, 2026 from 9am - 8:30pm.

About Youth America Grand Prix

Youth America Grand Prix is the largest global network of dance. YAGP fulfills its mission of dance education through scholarship auditions, master classes, alumni services, and performances. Over the past 28 years, more than $5 million has been awarded in scholarships to the world's leading dance schools, with up to $500,000 now awarded annually. Since YAGP's founding in 1999, over 300,000 young dancers – ages 9 to 19 – of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds have participated in YAGP's international workshops, audition classes, and dance awareness events. Today, more than 15,000 young dancers audition annually. 500 YAGP alumni are now dancing with 100 professional companies around the world, including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet and many others. Over 100 of these alumni are soloists and principal dancers. Larissa Saveliev founded YAGP after training and touring with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, before moving to the United States in the early 90's.