'American Idol' Of Ballet Comes To New York, Rare Opportunity On The Line For Talented Dancers
PURCHASE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – The "American Idol" of ballet has come to New York.
Hundreds of talented students are auditioning for the Youth America Grand Prix, the largest global network of dance.
For the hundreds of young dancers trying out at SUNY Purchase, all their hard work has come down to this one event.
The competition is the world's largest ballet scholarship program for dancers age nine to 19. About 250 dancers are auditioning this weekend, looking to impress four judges and win an amazing opportunity in New York City.
Competitors tell CBSN New York's John Dias they've been practicing every day for several months. They come from all over the world including Mexico, Canada, and even China. Students with the highest scores will continue on to the finals at Lincoln Center in April, where scholarships to top schools and dance companies will handed out to the exceptional performers.
Many alum from the Grand Prix go on to dance for the New York City Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre, and many other companies around the world.
Tryouts conclude on Saturday followed by the announcement of the winners.