Calgary, AB – Alberta Ballet School will proudly represent Canada at the Youth America Grand Prix: Fresh Voices in Dance from Oct. 16-18. This year’s Jacob’s Pillow festival in Becket Massachusetts will showcase work from the next generation of choreographers emerging from the ballet word.

This year's program marks the first-ever public presentation of work developed through Youth America Grand Prix’s groundbreaking new choreographic fellowship initiative. Eight ballet schools have been paired with eight choreographic fellowship recipients, and these original works will receive their world premieres at Jacob's Pillow. 

“It’s an honour to be selected to perform alongside such incredible intuitions and companies this iconic event,” said Alberta Ballet School Director Ashley McNeil. “Our school is excited to participate and the piece they are performing truly highlights their skills and the professional level training they are receiving here in Calgary.”

Performers in the program include dancers from ABT Studio Company, Houston Ballet II, Alberta Ballet School, The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, San Francisco Ballet School, The HARID Conservatory, and School of Philadelphia Ballet.

Alberta Ballet will perform a 10-minute piece, entitled Tipping Point, choreographed by Davidson Farias, Swiss-Brazilian choreographer and ballet master who is currently based in Berlin. 

“My experience at Alberta Ballet School has been truly rewarding. The students are very talented, hardworking, and a pleasure to work with. I’ve especially enjoyed watching their confidence and artistry grow day by day throughout rehearsals,” Farias said. “I’m grateful for the warm welcome and the opportunity to create with them.”

Farias selected two casts of five dancers from students taking professional dance training at the Calgary-based Alberta Ballet School. 

The festival runs from Oct, 16-18 at the Doris Duke Theatre. For information and tickets, visit Youth America Grand Prix: Fresh Voices in Dance.

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Media Contact
Kim Bradley
Communications Advisor
Alberta Ballet School
communications@albertaballet.com 
587-999-0306
 

About Alberta Ballet School

Alberta Ballet School is the official training school of Alberta Ballet Company, preparing emerging dancers for professional careers through intensive artistic training and direct connection to a leading Canadian ballet company. Based in Calgary, the School welcomes students from across Canada and around the world to its Grades 7–12 and post-secondary programs. Students have opportunities to perform alongside Alberta Ballet Company dancers throughout their training. A highlight of Alberta Ballet's 2026/27 60th anniversary season will be the Gala performances in February 2027, a program that brings all 140 School students and the professional Company dancers together on stage. Alberta Ballet School graduates have gone on to dance professionally with Alberta Ballet and companies around the world.

About YAGP

Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) was founded in 1999 with a mission to support and develop world-class dancers, ages 9-19, of all ethnic, economic, and geographic backgrounds by providing scholarship auditions, performance and education opportunities. 

It is now the #1 source of talent for the world’s dance schools and companies – and the world’s largest global network of dance, connecting students, teachers, dancers, dance schools and companies, and audiences across the globe. 

Now in its 28th season, YAGP has reached more than 300,000 talented young dance students worldwide with its workshops, scholarship auditions, master classes and performances in approximately 30+ U.S cities and 15 international locations. 

YAGP is also one of the world’s leading producers of dance Galas and events featuring the most promising young dance artists alongside the stars of today’s leading dance companies, having produced events at Lincoln Center and New York City Center, Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico, as well as prominent stages in Tokyo, Osaka, Sao Paulo, and many others. Following partnerships with the Ravenna Festival and Nervi Festival in Italy, and collaborations with the Spoleto Festival and Vail Dance Festival, among esteemed venues, YAGP is thrilled to present its first series of performances at Jacob’s Pillow, with Fresh Voices in Dance, showcasing the next generation of emerging artists and choreographic talent coming from the ballet world.

About Jacob’s Pillow

Each year, thousands of people from across the U.S. and around the globe visit the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts to experience the Festival with more than 50 dance companies and 500 performances, talks, parties, and special events; train at The School at Jacob’s Pillow, one of the most prestigious professional dance training centers in the U.S.; explore the Pillow’s rare and extensive dance Archives; and take part in numerous Community Programs designed to educate and engage dance audiences of all ages.