Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) 2025 Gala at Alice Tully Hall

The stars of today with the stars of tomorrow, Photo by Marilyn Kirschner

On Tuesday evening, the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition – YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX (YAGP)- celebrated 26 years by hosting its “Stars of Today Meets the Stars of Tomorrow Gala” at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Gala Chairs were Marcella Guarino Hymowitz and Maria Cristina Anzola.

Event Co-Chair Marcella Hymowitz, Photo by BFA

All proceeds from the evening, sponsored by Bucherer and Oscar de la Renta, will go directly towards scholarships for exceptional young dance students who wish to pursue their dream of a professional dance career.

Borealis, Photo by Jennifer Curry Wingrove for LK Studio

The YAGP Finals, which took place in Tampa, Florida, showcased the world’s most promising young ballet dancers, including those from Borealis Ballet, who were awarded scholarships to top ballet schools.

Melanie Hamrick and YAGP Founder Larissa Saveliev, Photo by BFA

Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) was founded by Larissa Saveliev, who serves as creative director. The former Bolshoi Ballet dancer helped change how the dance world looks at talent. YAGP remains the #1 source of talented dancers for the world’s dance schools and companies. 450 YAGP alumni dance in 80 companies worldwide, including The Royal Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre.

Lina Wallach, Marcella Hymowitz, Sarah Hoover, Leslie Vescler, Photo by BFA

The evening’s honoree was Sarah Hoover, a lifelong devotee of the art of ballet, a philanthropist who raises funds for multiple dance organizations, and Co-Founder of The Accelerator Committee at American Ballet Theatre. Hoover, married to artist Tom Sachs, is currently a bestselling author with her memoir, The Motherload.

A former gallery director who left her job to pursue a writing career refers to herself as a ‘social octopus’ because she is involved in so many different cultural endeavors.

Andy Cohen and Melanie Hamrick, Photo by LK Studio

Andy Cohen and Melanie Hamrick co-hosted the event, coinciding with International Dance Day. Though Andy’s three-year-old daughter, Lucy, is a budding ballerina, his connection to ballet is still dubious. But on Tuesday evening, Cohen was humorously dubbed “The Baryshnikov of Bravo.” He quipped that this would make for a great reality TV show.

9-year-old Sylvie Win Szyndlar performing Swan, Photo by LK Studio

Melanie Hamrick, former ABT dancer and YAGP alumna, probably best known as Mick Jagger’s fiancé, has the bonafide ballet connection. In the following performances, the YAGP’s 2025 competition winners (the stars of tomorrow, aged 9 – 19) shared a stage with ballet superstars of today (many YGP alumni), dancing contemporary and classical ballet favorites.

Lift Me Up Photo by LK Studio

From the opening presentation to the closing performance with the ICE (YAGP International Contemporary Ensemble), it was a spectacular and highly charged evening of dance, highlighting a stellar international cast from the world’s leading dance companies. There were presentations by Borealis Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, The Stuttgart Ballet, Ballet Dortmund, ABT Studio Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and more.

Le Parc, Photo by Jennifer Curry, Wingrove for LK Studio

Among the riveting performances that enthralled even the most jaded balletomanes were 9-year-old Sylvie Win Szyndlar’s interpretation of “Swan,” Kiera Sun, the 14-year-old YAGP 2025 Youth Grand Prix Winner, dancing “Swan Lake,” Le Parc,” performed by Germain Louvet and Hannah O’Neill of the Paris Opera Ballet, and the high-spirited “Lift Me Up.”

Candace Bushnell, Photo by BFA

Following the program, guests, including Amy Astley, Candace Bushnell, Zac Posen, Rebecca Hessel Cohen, Lucas Jagger, Libby Klein, Tatya Tolstova, Colby Mugrabi, and Michelle Ochs, enjoyed an elegant Gala celebration buffet dinner and dancing with the stars.

Kerin Rose Gold, Photo by BFA

The dress code was ‘cocktail attire,’ but nobody seems to follow these dictums anymore and prefers to dress as they please. Still, long or short dresses in pastels and ballerina pink were the order of the day, along with beads and gold metallics and, of course, a smattering of black and white.

Michelle Ochs, Katya Tolstova, Photo by BFA

In addition to the well-heeled guests, custom ballet slippers, part of YAGP’s Pointe Project, decorated the room. They included designs by Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors, A-Morir Studio, Attersee, Theory, DELPHINE, Fer Da Silva, Hill House Home, LoveShack Fancy!, Alexandre Birman, Alice and Olivia, Galvan London, Helmut Lang, Herve Leger, Libby Klein, Silvia Tcherassi, and TWP Clothing. A number of the designers were in attendance.

Alexandre Birman customized ballet slippers, Photo by BFA

The pointe shoes were up for auction until noon on May 1st, with 100% of the proceeds supporting YAGP’s ongoing scholarship efforts.

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Marilyn Kirschner

I am a long time fashion editor with 40+ years of experience. As senior market of Harper's Bazaar for 21 years I met and worked with every major fashion designer in the world and covered all of the collections in Paris, London, Milan and New York. I was responsible for overall content, finding and pulling in the best clothes out there, and for formulating ideas and stories.

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