YAGP: Hymowitz Fellowship for choreography announced
Jerry Hochman
Youth America Grand Prix has announced the inception of a new component to its extensive creative educational programs: the Marcella Hymowitz Creative Fellowship for choreography.
Since its founding 25 years ago, YAGP’s mission has been to support and provide opportunities to young dance artists through its worldwide educational opportunities, scholarships, and competitions. One element of this mission has been to provide choreographic opportunities via its Emerging Choreographer Series, which enables emergent choreographers to present their work to the international dance community. The Series has featured and provided a platform to artists such as Justin Peck, Juliano Nunes, Marcelo Gomes, and many others at the start of their choreographic careers. Now there’s another choreographic opportunity.
Marcella Guarino Hymowitz (left)
Photo Courtesy of YAGP
Marcella Guarino Hymowitz, who was the creative chair of YAGP’s recent 25th Anniversary Gala (and had many connections with YAGP before that), specifically created the Fellowship to enable YAGP to provide opportunities to young dancers to explore their creative voices through choreography. Via a submission/ competition process, the Fellowship will provide financial support for YAGP alumni who are selected to receive the Fellowship to create a piece of choreography to be featured at YAGP 2025 Galas in New York City or around the globe. This year’s Fellowship recipient will be the inaugural one for the Fellowship.
Details of the project and the submission process provided by YAGP are set forth below. Note that the first step in the process must be submitted by September 10, 2024.
CRITERIA: The winning project will be a group piece for at least 5 dancers. It will be visually striking, and it will reflect the world we live in today – the world of the 21st Century. The choreography can be either classical or contemporary, and could feature both group formations and solo moments – think of it as a mini-ballet, and let your creativity run wild!
The total runtime for your piece should be at least 3 minutes and no longer than 7 minutes.
HOW TO APPLY: SUBMISSION DEADLINE: September 10, 2024
Step 1
To submit your idea for consideration, send an email to choreography@yagp.org with the subject line: YOUR NAME – MHCF 2025 – which includes:
1) A link to the video to your previous work (if you have it; it is not a requirement, but helps us get to know the style of movement you have explored in the past)
2) A link to a video of you sharing your vision for this project – shoot a selfie video of you talking about your ideas. What would the piece look like? What would you like to say/convey with your piece? Describe it as best you can – and feel free to either talk about it and/or demonstrate the movement either yourself or using other dancers. Don’t worry about the video looking polished – we just want to get to know you and your ideas!
3) A written paragraph in the body of your email describing your ideas. Make it as short or long as you wish – but make it interesting! Include the year(s) you participated in YAGP, where you are dancing now (if it applies), what would your creation be about – and why the world needs to see it.
Step 2
Three finalists will be announced October 1, 2024 and will be given $10,000 each to create a workshop version of the piece this fall.
Following the workshop phase, one winner will be chosen to receive additional funding and assistance needed to create the full version of the piece. The piece will be featured in the YAGP 2025 Gala in New York City and at YAGP Galas around the globe.
For further information, check the YAGP web site.
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