{"id":5465,"date":"2025-05-06T01:21:54","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T01:21:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/06\/photos-ballets-brightest-shine-at-the-youth-america-grand-prix-gala\/"},"modified":"2025-05-06T01:22:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T01:22:00","slug":"photos-ballets-brightest-shine-at-the-youth-america-grand-prix-gala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/06\/photos-ballets-brightest-shine-at-the-youth-america-grand-prix-gala\/","title":{"rendered":"PHOTOS: Ballet\u2019s Brightest Shine at the Youth America Grand Prix Gala"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sara Mullally, Sarah Hoover and Kennedy Smith. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Among the VIP-charged parties we didn\u2019t get around to gushing about last week was the 2025 Youth America Grand Prix gala\u2014The Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow\u2014which, in a perfect pirouette of providence, took place on this year\u2019s International Dance Day. As always, the evening unfolded in glittering, glamorous form, overseen this time by TV personality Andy Cohen<\/a><\/b> (whom someone that night apparently dubbed \u201cthe Baryshnikov of Bravo\u201d) and YAGP alumna, choreographer and former ABT dancer Melanie Hamrick<\/a><\/b>\u2014the fact that she\u2019s Mick Jagger<\/a>\u2019s fianc\u00e9e probably deserves a mention.<\/p>\n

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Unfolding first in Lincoln Center\u2019s Alice Tully Hall, the evening honored Sarah Hoover<\/a><\/b>, the arts advocate and former gallerist whose devotion to cultural leadership and next-gen talent has become her calling card. In brief: she co-founded ABT\u2019s Accelerator Committee and fundraises tirelessly for everything from Twyla Tharp<\/a>\u2019s Diamond Jubilee tour to the New York City Ballet, though you might be more familiar with Hoover, the author<\/a>. \u201cSarah is devoted to ballet and the arts,\u201d Hamrick told the crowd before turning toward Hoover and adding, \u201cSarah, I am proud to call you a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

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SEE ALSO: Ten Highlights From New York\u2019s Spring Marquee Auctions<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Among those there to celebrate The Motherload<\/em> author and to support YAGP were boldface types like Chelsea Clinton<\/a><\/b>, who arrived with two of her children and needs no introduction, designer Zac Posen<\/a><\/b>, actor and writer Harrison Ball<\/b><\/a>, former Observer columnist and Sex in the City creator Candace Bushnell<\/b><\/a>, Jagger progeny Lucas Jagger<\/a><\/b>, star editor Amy Astley<\/a><\/b>, arts philanthropist Andrew Martin-Webber<\/a><\/b> and producer Jenni Pulos<\/a><\/b>, among many others.<\/p>\n

But the performers were the real stars of the evening: Lucia Lacarra<\/a><\/b> and Matthew Golding<\/a><\/b> debuted a U.S. premiere choreographed by Golding and Edwaard Liang<\/a>, while Germain Louvet<\/a><\/b> and Hannah O\u2019Neill<\/b> of the Paris Opera Ballet performed Le Parc<\/i> by Angelin Preljocaj<\/a>. O\u2019Neill returned with Friedemann Vogel<\/a><\/b> of the Stuttgart Ballet for a pas de deux from Onegin<\/i>, and Louvet reappeared solo with a variation from Swan Lake<\/i>. Yana Peneva<\/a><\/b>, Stuttgart\u2019s newest soloist, made her New York debut in Le Corsaire<\/i> with daniil simkin<\/a><\/b>, while ABT Studio Company stars Kayla Mak<\/a><\/b> and Max Barker<\/a><\/b> brought Balanchine\u2019s Tarantella<\/i> to life. Xin Peng Wang<\/a>, in his final season leading Ballet Dortmund, unveiled a world premiere danced by Samuel Bassler<\/a><\/b> and Daria Suzi<\/a><\/b>. And Isaiah Day<\/a><\/b> delivered a new work for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, paired with a live original score by Matthew Whitaker<\/a><\/b>. The YAGP International Contemporary Ensemble, as always, closed the program, giving the assembled dance devotees a peek at tomorrow\u2019s rising talent.<\/p>\n

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Germain Louvet and Hannah O\u2019Neill in Le Parc<\/em> by Angelin Preljocaj. Jennifer Curry Wingrove<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis is an incredible honor by such a meaningful organization to the world of dance,\u201d Hoover said over dinner. \u201cI want to explain how deep my love of dance is. As a young girl growing up in Indiana, I did not have a ton of access to culture. But I did have incredible dance training, and I went to summer programs at ABT and elsewhere. I remember the impact of watching Glass Pieces<\/i>, a Jerome Robbins<\/a> ballet with music by Philip Glass<\/a>. It was totally different than anything I\u2019d ever seen. It changed the trajectory of my life: where I would live and what I would be dedicated to doing. I see dancers and ballet as showing us a more empathetic and expansive way forward in the world, and for that, they are my idols forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, once again, the YAGP\u2019s Pointe Project returned with seventeen custom pairs of out-of-this-world ballet slippers embellished by artists and designers, including a pair of black sequin shoes by TWP, a glittery silver and black pair by Michael Kors<\/a> and a pink, embroidered pair by LoveShackFancy. Our favorite? Artist Fer Da Silva<\/a>\u2019s street-art-inspired addition with \u201cWhat you call sacrifice, I call love\u201d inked on the insole. That said, the petite slippers that sparkled in their gold-and-glass display were just a wee bit overshadowed by a striking larger-than-life pointe shoe covered in dazzling disco balls and fresh spring flowers. Overshadowed in the best possible way, that is.<\/p>\n

Zoe Anderson<\/h3>\n
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Zoe Anderson. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Andy Cohen and Melanie Hamrick<\/h3>\n
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Andy Cohen and Melanie Hamrick. Courtesy YAGP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sarah Hoover<\/h3>\n
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Sarah Hoover. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Candace Bushnell<\/h3>\n
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Candace Bushnell. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lina Wallach, Rachel Wexler, Grace Pomerance, Colleen Crivello and Marcella Hymowitz<\/h3>\n
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Lina Wallach, Rachel Wexler, Grace Pomerance, Colleen Crivello and Marcella Hymowitz. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rebecca Hessel Cohen and Katie Haralson<\/h3>\n
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Rebecca Hessel Cohen and Katie Haralson. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Melanie Hamrick and Larissa Saveliev<\/h3>\n
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Melanie Hamrick and Larissa Saveliev. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lucas Jagger and Elisa Annenberg Paglia<\/h3>\n
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Lucas Jagger and Elisa Annenberg Paglia. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jerry Metellus<\/h3>\n
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Jerry Metellus. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eugenia Bullock<\/h3>\n
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Eugenia Bullock. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Judith Pisar, Larissa Saveliev and Maria Cristina Anzola<\/h3>\n
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Judith Pisar, Larissa Saveliev and Maria Cristina Anzola. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Libby Klein and Marcella Hymowitz<\/h3>\n
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Libby Klein and Marcella Hymowitz. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Djassi DaCosta Johnson<\/h3>\n
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Djassi DaCosta Johnson. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Michelle Ochs and Katya Tolstova<\/h3>\n
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Michelle Ochs and Katya Tolstova. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Barbara Brandt and Matthew Witticker<\/h3>\n
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Barbara Brandt and Matthew Witticker. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Colby Mugrabi<\/h3>\n
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Colby Mugrabi. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dan Bragiel and Josephine Lee<\/h3>\n
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Dan Bragiel and Josephine Lee. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maxim Bel and Irina Dvorovenko<\/h3>\n
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Maxim Bel and Irina Dvorovenko. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Amy Astley, Melanie Hamrick and Brynn Putnam<\/h3>\n
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Amy Astley, Melanie Hamrick and Brynn Putnam. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Harrison Ball and Zac Posen<\/h3>\n
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Harrison Ball and Zac Posen. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kerin Rose Gold and Priya Shukla<\/h3>\n
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Kerin Rose Gold and Priya Shukla. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Joanna Jagoda and Collin Rosche<\/h3>\n
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Joanna Jagoda and Collin Rosche. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Martha Hoover, Sarah Hoover and Colby Mugrabi<\/h3>\n
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Martha Hoover, Sarah Hoover and Colby Mugrabi. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Karine Plantadit<\/h3>\n
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Karine Plantadit. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Natalie Dougherty, Yair Stern, Angelique Dawson and Mia Rowe<\/h3>\n
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Natalie Dougherty, Yair Stern, Angelique Dawson and Mia Rowe. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Monica Elias<\/h3>\n
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Monica Elias. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mark Tamayo and Jeanne Hoefliger<\/h3>\n
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Mark Tamayo and Jeanne Hoefliger. Michelle Kammerman\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Michelle Fedotova, Jolie Moray, Jamie Meyer and Mikaela Meyer<\/h3>\n
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Michelle Fedotova, Jolie Moray, Jamie Meyer and Mikaela Meyer. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lesley Vecsler, Amanda Perrin and Natasha Caronna<\/h3>\n
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Lesley Vecsler, Amanda Perrin and Natasha Caronna. Julia D’Ambola\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\t\t\t\t\"On<\/p><\/div>\n