Falls Church’s BalletNova Center for Dance received the Outstanding School award at the 2014 Youth America Grand Prix semifinals in Pittsburgh last month.

The Youth America Grand Prix is a student ballet scholarship competition that awards more than $250,000 annually in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide. This prestigious competition, held annually around the world, is open to dance students ages 9 –19 years.

Three BalletNova dancers won awards and placed in the top 12 at the competition: Chelen Middlebrook placed first in junior division contemporary and second in junior division classical, and Amara Forsley placed in the top 12 in both senior women’s classical and senior women’s contemporary. Joe Ogren placed second in both senior men’s classical and senior men’s contemporary, and will be going to the finals in New York in April.

Each of the dancers performed two solos in the competition, one classical and one contemporary. Artistic Director Nancie Woods and faculty member Carmen Perez staged solo variations from the classical repertory, and local choreographers created contemporary solos for the competitors.

This is the second year that BalletNova has participated in the YAGP.