Patel Conservatory students compete in YAGP finals in New York this week

The height of the leg extensions, the strength and balance as they lift and hold their poses, and the un-ending pirouettes that dazzle...

Patel Conservatory staff, parents and students were treated to a stunning dance performance this afternoon.

Students headed to New York this week for the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) finals gave a preview of their competition pieces to a small, informal audience. This was their last chance to perform in front of an audience before leaving for the finals.

Two of the dancers, Hannah Bettes and Drew Nelson, were featured last week at the Guggenheim Museum in New York at the “Works & Process” series. They will be among the six students representing the Patel Conservatory at the YAGP finals.

Bettes and Nelson join Hannah Beach, Caitlin Birt, Sofia Saari and Daniel Cooke in an elite group of only 300 students chosen from 5000 world-wide for YAGP finals. The competition offers opportunities for scholarships to the world’s best dance schools and job opportunities with the world’s finest ballet companies. Two of our dancers already have major interest from the Royal Ballet School in England.

We wish them all the best as they venture to New York for this amazing opportunity!