3 School of Dance Students Take Home Awards at 2024 YGAP

The current students of the School of Dance swept awards in several categories, including the best prize of the contest, Grand Prix, and elevated K-Arts’s prestige at the 2024 Youth America Grand Prix (YGAP). As was in 2018 and 2023, the School of Dance was also granted the Outstanding School Award, once again consolidating K-Arts’s name in the world for high-quality ballet education.

Since its foundation in 2000, YAGP annually takes place in New York. As the largest ballet competition in the world, it is known for the Olympics for prospective ballet dancers in the age range between 9 and 19. This year, about 2,000 of 12,000 competitors from 41 countries were selected to compete in the final at Lincoln Center in New York.

Park Geon-hee (age 18) rejoiced in the glory of winning the Grand Prix in the Senior Age Division, the award for the best dancer. Lee Seungmin (age 19) and Son Minji (age 18) in Pas De Deux each took 1^st as well. Son Minji additionally took 3^rd in the Senior Age Division for female solo.

With the winning, Park earned scholarships from ABT Studio Company, Czech National Ballet, ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, European School of Ballet, and Dutch National Ballet Academy. Also, Son received an offer from Atlanta Ballet. Lee Kang-won, who made it to the Top 12, got an offer from Czech National Ballet.