Our Town Inagi 2017: 5 Ballet Dancers

A Step to Professionalism: 5 Ballet Dancers Compete in the Youth America Grand Prix

The "Youth America Grand Prix" is the largest ballet competition in the world, held annually in New York for participants aged 9 to 19 who have advanced through preliminary rounds in about 30 cities worldwide. This competition serves as a stepping stone to becoming a professional ballet dancer, and participating in the finals is a significant dream for students learning ballet.
Recently, five students from the ballet school in Wakabadai achieved top placements in the Japan preliminaries held in October 2016 in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, and will proudly participate in the New York finals in April 2017.
In the "Pre-Competitive Division," where individuals perform, Sawa Matsutani (3rd grader at Nagamine Elementary School) and Shunsuke Nomura (3rd grader at Minamiyama Elementary School) will compete.
Additionally, in the "Ensemble Division," Hina Maeda (resident of Wakabadai), Misuzu Konishi (1st grader at Inagi Dai 6 Junior High School), and Mana Ichino (1st grader at Inagi Dai 5 Junior High School) will perform.
When we spoke with the oldest participant, Maeda, she mentioned that she attends the school six times a week and practices stretching and strength training at home, living a life dedicated to ballet. "I can continue because I enjoy dancing. I definitely want to take first place in the New York finals," she said passionately.
Instructor Yu Yamada was very surprised to learn that nine students (including four from outside the city) could participate in the finals at once. "To be able to dance on such a wonderful stage is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; I hope they enjoy dancing on the day of the event," she shared.
In April 2017, let’s all support them so that their beautiful dances, honed through daily practice, can bear fruit on the splendid stage.