My Town Inagi 2017 5 ballet dancers

The Youth America Grand Prix is the world's largest ballet competition, and the final round is held every year in New York for 9 to 19-year-olds who have won preliminary rounds in about 30 cities around the world. This competition is a stepping stone to becoming a professional ballet dancer, and participating in the finals is one of the big dreams of ballet students.
This time, five students who attend the Wakabadai Ballet School won the top prizes in the Japan Preliminary Round held in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture in October 2016. I was.
Sakikazu Matsutani (3rd grader at Nagamine Elementary School) and Shunsuke Nomura (3rd grader at Nanzan Elementary School) will participate in the "Pre-Competitive Division" where 9 to 11 year olds will perform individually.
In addition, Hina Maeda (resident of Wakabadai), Misuzu Konishi (1st grader at Inagi No. 6 Junior High School), and Mana Ichino (1st grader at Inagi No. 5th Junior High School) will participate in the "ensemble section" where they will perform in groups.
When I asked Mr. Maeda, who is the eldest, he goes to school six times a week and spends his days doing ballet, such as stretching and muscle training at home. “I can continue because I enjoy dancing.
The instructor, Yarida Toshio, was very surprised when he learned that as many as 9 students (including 4 students from outside the city) could participate in the finals at one time. She said, "It may be once in a lifetime to be able to dance on such a wonderful stage, and I want you to enjoy dancing on that day."
In April 2017, let's all support each other so that the beautiful dance that has been refined through daily practice will bear fruit on a gorgeous stage.