Youth America Grand Prix Presents Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow, 4/27

Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) presents "Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow" tonight, April 27 at 7:00 PM at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. This annual event has become synonymous with the discovery of new dancers, choreographers, and companies, featuring the performances of international ballet stars and introducing the world's brightest young dance talent -- finalists from the 2012 competition. The evening's program includes world premieres choreographed by Ji?í Buben??ek, Marcelo Gomes, and Justin Peck, and NYC debuts by Yonah Acosta and Friedemann Vogel, and performances by a select group of 2012 YAGP finalists, plus celebrity masters of ceremonies Ana Gasteyer (SNL) and Brian d'Arcy James (Shrek the Musical, Next to Normal, Smash). Tickets for the performance are $45, $75, $100, $150.

The evening will begin with 20-25 solos, pas de deuxs, and ensembles by the finalists from the 2012 competition, chosen that morning by the judges (the full performance roster will be available on April 27). The pieces chosen represent the best overall performers, including some scholarship winners. The First Act's finale includes 250 YAGP finalists performing Carlos Dos Santos, Jr.'s Grand Defile set to music by Tchaikovsky.

The program's Second Act is devoted to performances by "Stars of Today" and includes three world premieres; Marcelo Gomes' Untitled danced by Misty Copeland, Justin Peck's Untitled performed by Teresa Reichlen and Matthew Golding (YAGP Alumnus), and Ji?í Buben??ek's Gentle Memories performed by Ekaterina Kondaurova, Islom Baimuradov, Otto Buben??ek, and Jon Vallejo to original music by Karen LeFrak.

YAGP alumnus and past recipient of the prestigious Grand Prix Award, Sergei Polunin will perform with Tamara Rojo. Their performance marks Rojo's first in New York in over 8 years, and Polunin's first since his sudden decision to leave The Royal Ballet. Rojo and Polunin's partnership has often been compared to that of Fonteyn and Nureyev.

Also performing are noted Cuban dancers, Yolanda Correa Frias, Yoel Carreño, and Yonah Acosta in his New York debut. Yonah Acosta is the nephew of ballet great Carlos Acosta, and Yoel Carreño is the half-brother of Jose Manuel Carreño.

YAGP 2012 Season is sponsored by Bloch, Capezio, Chacott, Dance Magazine, Dance Europe Magazine, Dance Teacher Magazine, Dance Spirit Magazine, Discount Dance Supply, Freed, Grishko, Pointe Magazine, Russian Pointe, SoDanca, and Sylvia Co. The "Emerging Choreographer Series "is sponsored in part by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

For more information, visit www.YAGP.org.