Dance Arts Los Alamos (DALA) 12 Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) participants top row from left, Coaches Rachel Zervakos and Jonathan Guise. Second row from left, Jane Mocko, Jana Gauss, Emily Huang and Jasper Lee. Third row from left, Ariana Kimball, Anabel Irving and Olivia Haroz. Front row from left, Sierra Esquibel, Luisa Schmitz, Ciara Hinrichs, Margaret Kelley and Hannah Lee. Courtesy/DALA
Margaret Kelley performs her classical variation onstage at the YAGP Regional Semi-Final competition in Denver, Colo. Courtesy/DALA
DALA News:
Dance Arts Los Alamos (DALA) attended the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Regional Semi-Final competition Feb. 27-March 2 in Denver, Colo. Twelve selected dancers began preparing for this competition in May 2024, and for 10 months, honed skills and choreography in order to represent DALA among 10,000 participants competing in YAGP globally.
The DALA Dancers were coached by DALA Artistic Director Jonathan Guise, Rehearsal Director Rachel Zervakos, Associate Director Karina Wilder and the DALA faculty on classical solos, contemporary solos and a group ensemble piece.
DALA’s Large Ensemble piece, “Antagonize”, choreographed by Guise and Zervakos, received one of the Top 6 scores for Large Ensemble at the competition. DALA dancer and Los Alamos High School student Margaret Kelley was recognized with placement in the Top 24 in the Senior Classical Division for her performance of her classical variation and also awarded a summer scholarship opportunity.
In a historic achievement for DALA, the Ensemble piece has been invited to the YAGP international Finals in April in Tampa, Fla. The Ensemble cast, composed of dancers Ciara Hinrichs, Anabel Irving, Margaret Kelley, Ariana Kimball, Jasper Lee and Luisa Schmitz, will travel to Tampa to perform the piece among the 1,500 participants selected to advance to the final round of the international competition. They will share the stage with dancers from all over the world, and will be the only representatives from New Mexico. In addition to performing, the dancers will have the opportunity to study with world-renowned master teachers and experience professional networking and development at the week-long Finals event.
Congratulations to all of these remarkable dancers. The community is asked to consider supporting DALA’s nonprofit programs, which serve more than 300 students in Los Alamos and surrounding communities by donating online. Also to celebrate and support DALA at the upcoming Spring Gala, 7 p.m. Sunday, April 27 at Fuller Lodge (more information here) and the world premiere of Guise’s original three-act ballet, La Lune de Bleu, 7 p.m. Friday, May 2 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4 at Duane Smith Auditorium (more information on La Lune de Bleu).
DALA dancers perform ‘Antagonize’, choreographed by Jonathan Guise and Rachel Zervakos, onstage at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Regional Semi-Final competition in Denver, Colo. Courtesy/DALA
The DALA Ensemble cast from left, Luisa Schmitz, Ciara Hinrichs, Jasper Lee, Anabel Irving, Jana Gauss, Margaret Kelley and Ariana Kimball. Courtesy/DALA
