Principal dancer Seo Hee at American Ballet Theater

“I have become what I am today thanks to the world-class concourse ‘Youth America Grand Prix,’ which discovers and provides generous support to promising ballerinas. I am very pleased and proud that YAGP concourse can now take place in Seoul as well.”

Principal ballerina Seo Hee (30) of the world-renowned American Ballet Theater, which is a flagship ballet troupe in the U.S., had her voice vibrating a bit as if she felt thrilled. Seo made the remarks last Friday at the Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York, where a gala performance by winners of the YAGP Concourse was staged on Saturday. Korea’s first YAGP Concourse will take place at Universal Arts Center in Seoul’s Gwangjin district between July 22 and July 24.

YAGP Concourses have taken place in Japan, China, France, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, as well as 10 largest cities in the U.S., including San Francisco, Boston, and New York. Seo said, “I have been constantly educating the YAGP headquarters about the reason a YAGP concourse should take place in Korea as well since 2012.” Her five-year efforts have come to fruition.

The YAGP, which was inaugurated in 2000, is famous for its focus on discovering young rookie ballet dancers. The concourse is offered for juniors (ages 12 – 14) and seniors (15 – 19) for student dancers aged 9 to 19 from around the world. Seo became the first Korean to win the grand prize in the YAGP’s senior category in 2003. Since then, Kim Ki-min (24), principal dancer at the Mariinsky Ballet Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia, received the grand prize in 2012, and Jeon Jun-hyeok (18), who hails from the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts at the Korea National University of Arts, won the honor this year.

“Whenever I was invited as speaker to events involving the YAGP, I strongly felt that ‘If this concourse can also take place in Korea, it will give many opportunities to younger Korean colleagues," Seo said. “While holding discussions about administrative issues with the YAGP, I would exchange several emails daily. I would often think to myself ‘I am a ballerina, and why should I bother to do things like this,’ but it is very rewarding just to know that now talented younger colleagues don’t have to go abroad by spending time and lots of money to participate in concourses.”

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