Katnap Dance Center . 12932 Venice Blvd . Los Angeles, CA 90066 . (310) 351-1536

  • This December, the Kirov Ballet has brought their version of the Nutcracker to Los Angeles for the first time in 13 years. For this occasion, the company has asked Yuri to coordinate and help coach a group of ballet students from around the Los Angeles area to participate in 6 performances at the Music Center. After only four rehearsals, the children performed as party guests in the first act, and soldiers and cavalry in the second act, earning a mention and a photo in the LA Times (click here for a link).

    "Vivacious children from the local Yuri Grigoriev School of Ballet enlivened the first act party scene, imbuing it with needed spontaneity." (Los Angeles Times, December 18, 2008)

    Congratulations to our students Nina Dubovitsky, Grace Gottlieb, Madisyn Aldea, Rachel Gonzalez and Seaf Hartley, who participated in this unforgettable production!

  • Three of our students, Alanna Archibald, Lilit Hogtanian, and Jodi Labowe, will be leaving us next year to join professional European ballet schools. Alanna was accepted to the Rudra Bejart School, Lausanne, Switzerland, Lilit will enter the Princess Grace Academy of Classical Dance in Monaco, and Jodi is going to the Tanz Akademie (University of Zurich School of the Arts), Switzerland. Congratulations and "bonne chance"!
     
  • Congratulations to everyone on their superb performances at the SPRING RECITAL at Pepperdine University’s Smothers Theatre on May 17! See our updated photo gallery for selected shots. You can also order full resolution digital files or prints at www.fastdap.smugmug.com.

  • The 2008 competition season has been very exciting with more of our students participating than ever before. Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard for many months and competed in these local and international events:

    • Lilit Hogtanian: Prix de Lausanne semi-finals (by special invitation), Switzerland; Los Angeles Spotlight Awards (semi-finals); Orange County Stars of Tomorrow (semi-finals)
    • Katarzynka Kropinski: Orange County Stars of Tomorrow (semi-finals); YAGP Regionals, senior division (top 25)
    • Danica Paulos: YAGP Regionals, junior division (top 12, NY Finals)
    • Indiana Woodward: YAGP Regionals, junior division (top 12, NY Finals)
    • Grace Gottlieb: YAGP Regionals, junior division
    • Angelica Kechichian: YAGP Regionals, junior division
    • Saskia Gregson-Williams: YAGP Regionals, pre-competitive division (3rd place, NY Finals)
    • Michael Samarie George: YAGP Regionals, pre-competitive division (special NY Finals invitation)
    • Brianna Hodge: YAGP Regionals, pre-competitive division

  • The second season of the Los Angeles Ballet opened with two successful performances of the Nutcracker at the Alex Theater in Glendale. Congratulations to all our students who participated in this wonderful production: Lilit Hogtanian (Clara),  Erik Thordal-Christensen (Nutcracker), Julia Goldani-Telles, Indiana Woodward and Angelica Bardakjian (Clara's friends and Russian dolls), Lauren Hutchinson, Katrien Konkol, Janessa Serate,  Jazel Serate, Anna Shakeshaft, Kyra Sorce, Nina Dubovitsky, Alexis Glabach, Grace Gottlieb, Helena Thordal-Christensen (pages, soldiers, Hansels, Gretels and party children).

"True star power ... emanated from Lilit Hogtanian. The 15-year-old prodigy assaying Clara soared in effortless leaps and turns with the grace, authority, presence and acting ability of a prima ballerina." (Los Angeles Times, December 1, 2007)

Additional performances are on Dec 22 and 23 at UCLA's Royce Hall and Dec 29 and 30 at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. For more information and tickets, go to the Los Angeles Ballet website.

  • We are pleased to announce that our alumnae Mallory Clark and Elise Miller are recipients of ABT's National Training Scholarship award for 2007-2008. Elise Miller (ABT National Scholar in 2006-2007) is also a recipient of the Bender Foundation Scholar award. Congratulations to both of them!

  • Lilit Hogtanian has been invited to compete at Prix de Lausanne 2008! This announcement and a short interview appeared in the Scholarship Guide of the August issue of Dance magazine:

    "The new partnership between Youth America Grand Prix and Switzerland's Prix de Lausanne, announced in February, creates an international network of student scholarship opportunities. As one of two YAGP finalists chosen to compete overseas, 15-year-old Lilit Hogtanian from the Yuri Grigoriev School of Ballet in L.A can't wait to perform at the 2008 Prix de Lausanne..." (Dance Magazine, August 1, 2007)

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