NORWALK - Norwalk Metropolitan Youth Ballet has prepared 26 of its dancers of Ensemble Ètoile and select dancers of its Apprentice Ensemble for a trip to Philadelphia to compete in the Regional Semifinals of Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the largest student scholarship competition in the word.eventbrite. Additional information about the ballet studio is available at nmyb.org.

The public is invited to see the group perform their pieces locally a week before they head to competition.

NMYB's dancers will be presenting 23 different pieces of choreography, including contemporary and classical solo variations, duets, and small ensembles.

The dancers competing are Sara Adriani and Chelsea Cuseo of Easton; Sasha Jones of Fairfield; Layla Rodriguez of Greenwich; Olivia Creigh of Milford;  Charlotte Jung of New Canaan; Solenne Barclay, Jennifer Traorè, Brynn Schmitt, Serina Traorè and Kaylan Walcott of Norwalk; Yael Bialik of Newtown; Jonah Werring of Redding; Hannah Smith of Shelton; Tessa Flynn of Southbury; Benjamin Boveroux, Anna Davis, Mia Generoso, Alexander Holms, Andrew Holms, Katarina Kendall, Isabella Lee, Gabriella Perez and Lily Strouse of Trumbull; Katerina Gotouhidis of Weston; and Claudia Nusimovich of Westport.

NMYB's Apprentice Ensemble and Ensemble Ètoile are ensembles comprised of dancers who have been selected by NMYB Artistic Director Adam James Holms, MA. The young dancers have dedicated between 10 and 25 hours each week to ballet instruction and choreography rehearsals for the entire ballet season. Soloists and small ensembles began learning their choreography in July.

This will be NMYB's third season, and third trip, to the YAGP Philadelphia Regionals. In 2015, Anna Davis and Alexander Holms placed in the Top 12 Finalists in their divisions. Ms Davis advanced to compete in the New York Finals that year.

In 2016, Ms Davis placed in the Top 12 Finalists in the Junior Contemporary Division. Alexander Holms won second place in the Precompetitive Contemporary Division, and placed in the Top 12 Finalists of the Precompetitive Classical Division. Additionally, with their duet "Rodeo," Solenne Barclay and Mr Holms placed in the Top 12 for Ensemble Finalists, and advanced to compete in the New York Finals.

The Norwalk Metropolitan Youth Ballet students who will be competing at YAGP this year will offer a YAGP Send Off Performance/Live Dress Researsal on Sunday, January 8, at 5 pm. The show will be at All Saints School, 139 West Rocks Road in Norwalk.

General admission is $25 for adults, $10 for ages 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased in advance through

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