Sterling Performances from Aidan Buss and Lee Melton at Youth America Grand Prix Boston Regionals Result in Top Awards, with Three Dancers Invited to NYC Finals
Students from the Greenwich Ballet Academy (GBA) showed professionalism, talent, style and grace as they took top honors at the Boston Youth America Grand Prix. Out of more than 100 highly accomplished dancers from across the country competing in each category, students and faculty from GBA took awards in four categories.
Aidan Buss, age 13 and from Old Greenwich, won first place in the Junior Classical Dance Category for Men and Women. GBA’s Lee Melton, age 14 from Darien, placed in the Top 12 in the Junior Classical Dance Category. Aidan also placed Top 12 in the Contemporary Dance Category.
Aidan, Lee as well as 12 year-old Ruth Schultz of Ossining, NY have received the highly coveted invitation to go to New York City for the YAGP Finals competition, to be held April 22 through 29. “I am so excited at the prospect of being able to dance at the YAGP Finals in New York,” said Aidan. “It is a great opportunity to meet some of the world’s best dancers as well as leaders from some of the world’s greatest ballet schools. I am thrilled and honored to be given this chance to represent Greenwich Ballet Academy.”
“It was such a valuable experience for me to be able to dance at the John Hancock Hall in Boston,” said Lee. “Everyone there was so talented, and it was an inspiration to be a part of it.”
The much anticipated New York event will host top ballet students from around the world. Contestants in the Finals are seen by directors and representatives of some of the world’s leading dance companies, and over 250 YAGP alumni have joined over 50 dance companies around the world. At the New York competition, grand prize winners will receive scholarships and valuable contracts to some of the most prestigious dance companies in the world.
“We’re proud of Aidan, Lee, and Ruth’s accomplishments, and are excited to see them represent the Greenwich community, Westchester and Fairfield counties,” said Marisol Thurman, Chairman of the Board of GBA. “Students throughout the area are fortunate to have access to world-class ballet training, and the fact that our students can compete at an international level is an incredible accomplishment for our dancers as well as our renowned faculty.”
Youth America Grand Prix holds competitions in 17 U.S. cities and six international locations, with each season culminating in the week-long Finals in New York City, where more than 1,200 of the world’s best dancers compete for top honors.
