Recognized excellence
Awards & Accolades
CityDance Conservatory students have been consistently recognized for excellence in dance, earning top honors at Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), New York City Dance Alliance (NYCDA), Prix de Lausanne, and other renowned competitions and conventions.
6 YAGP Hope Awards
5 YAGP Grand Prix & Youth Grand Prix Awards
1 Prix de Lausanne Finalists
2 NYCDA Outstanding Artist Awards
4 YAGP Outstanding School Awards
4 YAGP Outstanding Teacher / Choreographer Awards
2026 Season
Click on the plus signs to discover all awards won this season.
NYCDA
Special Awards
- Outstanding Artist: Brianne Strong
- Backstage Good Sportsmanship Award: CityDance Conservatory (Baltimore & Hershey)
- Jackelyn Echevarria (Chloe’s One to Watch)
- Nyla Stokes (Grace’s One to Watch)
- Ainsley Coleman (Dana’s One to Watch)
- Senior Critics’ Choice Award: “I Love You”
- Teen Critics’ Choice Award: “Bounce”
Group Awards
- 1st Place High Score Senior Overall: “I Love You”
- 1st Place High Score Teen Group: “Someone Like You”
- 1st Place High Score Teen Hip Hop: “Bounce”
- 1st Place High Score Senior Duo: Sophia Stanton-Brand & Eliana Clash-Drexler
- 2nd Place Teen Duo/Trio: Jackelyn Echevarria & Micaiah Derenzis
- 5th Place Teen Duo/Trio: Ainsley Coleman & Isabelle Go
Outstanding Dancers
Teen
- Shiqi Hui: Top 3 + Outstanding Dancer
- Micaiah Derenzis, Top 10, Outstanding Dancer
- Gina Zhang, Top 10, Outstanding Dancer
- Mia Bernstein, Top 15, Outstanding Dancer
- Ainsley Coleman, Top 20, Outstanding Dancer
- Isabelle Go, Top 20, Outstanding Dancer
- Nyla Stokes, Top 20, Outstanding Dancer
- Riley Grayson, Top 30, Outstanding Dancer
- Sophia Jia, Top 30
- Grace Rosenbaum, Outstanding Dancer
- Claire Brannan, Outstanding Dancer
- Chelsea Rubin, Outstanding Dancer
Senior
- Brianne Strong: Top 3 & Outstanding Artist
- Jackelyn Echevarria, Top 10, Outstanding Dancer
- Sophia Campbell, Top 10, Outstanding Dancer
- Avani Agrawal, Top 15, Outstanding Dancer
- Marija Jovic, Top 15
- Sydney Smith, Top 15, Outstanding Dancer
- Mina Lee, Top 30
- Eliana Clash-Drexler, Outstanding Dancer
- Lily Hibey, Outstanding Dancer
- Marleigh McKay, Outstanding Dancer
- Dior Brown, Outstanding Dancer
- Margaux Thiery, Outstanding Dancer
Scholarships
- Steps Academy Program Summer Intensive – Micaiah Derenzis
- Steps Summer Study NYC Intensive – Dior Brown & Jackelyn Echevarria
- Steps Pre-Professional Elite Dance Intensive – Avani Agrawal, Shiqi Hui, Jackelyn Echevarria, Gina Zhang & Isabelle Go
- Complexions Academy Summer Intensive – Micaiah Derenzis
- BodyTraffic Intensive – Isabelle Go
- BJM_360 Intensive – Brianne Strong
- Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Teen Intensive – Avani Agrawal
- Ballet Hispánico Scholarships – Shiqi Hui & Jackelyn Echevarria
- Tap Scholarship – Kate Bresnick
- Hip Hop Regional Scholarship – Ainsley Coleman
- NYCDA Pre-Professional Intensive Invitation – Karina Papoian, Portia Spiker
- NYCDA Winter Contemporary Intensive Invitation – Ainsley Coleman, Jackelyn Echevarria, Brianne Strong, Isabelle Go, Shiqi Hui
YAGP
Pre-Competitive Classical Division
- Hope Award: Olivia Liu
- 3rd Place: Kiera Kerns
Junior Classical Division
- 2nd Place: Avery Kerns
- 3rd Place: Makayla Chan
- Top 12: Alexia Maradey (YAGP Philadelphia), Arabella Apolinar, Ashlynn Warnick, Noelle Drinkard, Shiqi Hui
- Top 24: Drew Moayedi, Gina Zhang, Ned Hanrahan, Paris Koons, Sallie Dougherty
Junior Contemporary Division
- 1st Place: Shiqi Hui
- 2nd Place: Paris Koons
- 3rd Place: Makayla Chan
- Top 12: Ashlynn Warnick, Avery Kerns, Gina Zhang
- Top 24: Arabella Apolinar, Sallie Dougherty
Senior Classical Division
- Top 12: Ruth Kwon, Theodora Na, Sophie Copeland, Paris Koons
Senior Contemporary Division
- 1st Place: Jax Aquino
- Top 12: Ruth Kwon, Sophie Copeland
Ensembles & Groups
- 1st Place Large Ensemble: Fractures
- Top 12 Ensemble: Golden Tango
- 3rd Place Small Group/Duo: Slipping Away (Jax Aquino & Ashlynn Warnick)
Special Awards
- Outstanding School: CityDance Conservatory
- Outstanding Choreographer: Robert J. Priore
YAGP Houston 2026 Finals Invitations
- Olivia Liu (Olivia was also invited to perform at the 2026 YAGP Gala at Lincoln Center)
- Avery Kerns
- Arabella Apolinar
- Keira Kerns
- Makayla Chan
- Paris Koons
- Shiqi Hui
- “Golden Tango”
- “Fractures”
- “Slipping Away”
Past Seasons
2025 Season
YAGP
Pre-Competitive Division
- 1st Place Classical: Arabella Apolinar
- Top 12 Contemporary: Arabella Apolinar
Junior Division
- Top 12 Contemporary: Kennedy Thompson
Senior Division
- Top 12 Classical: Sophie Copeland
Ensemble
- Top 6 Large Ensemble: Les Loups by Robert J. Priore
Invitations to Tampa YAGP Finals
- Les Loups by Robert J. Priore
- Arabella Apolinar
NYCDA
Special Awards
- Outstanding Artist Award, Senior Regional Top 3 Outstanding Dancer: Brianne Strong
- Senior Critics Choice Award: Look Me in the Eyes by Robert J. Priore
- Teen Critics’ Choice Award: The Coven by Robert J. Priore
Group awards:
- 1st Place Extended Line High Score: Look Me in the Eyes by Robert J. Priore
- 3rd Place Teen Contemporary High Score: When It’s Cold by Ryan Bailey
Teen
- Micaiah DeRenzis, Top 15, Outstanding Dancer
- Ainsley Coleman, Outstanding Dancer
- Claire Brannan, Outstanding Dancer
- Isabelle Go, Outstanding Dancer
- Reese Canterna, Outstanding Dancer
Senior
- Brianna DeLauder, Outstanding Dancer
- Leah Bulson, Top 10, Outstanding Dancer
- Sophia Campbell, Outstanding Dancer
Scholarships
- Scholarship to Dean College: Brianna DeLauder (NYCDA Nationals)
- Scholarship to Adelphi University: Brianna DeLauder (NYCDA Nationals)
2024 Season
YAGP
- YAGP Finals Final Round, Full Scholarship to John Cranko School, Simon Tischler
- Best Teacher Award, CityDance Faculty
Pas de Deux:
- 1st Place Overall, Ruth Kwon & Simon Tischler
Senior Division
- 1st Place Classical, Simon Tischler
- 2nd Place Contemporary, Simon Tischler
Junior Division
- 2nd Place Classical (tied): Ruth Kwon
- 2nd Place Classical: Lucian DeBellis
- 2nd Place Classical: Ella Berton
- Top 12 Classical: Ayla Flowers, Pelageya Brazhnikova, Sophia Campbell
- Top 12 Contemporary: Ayla Flowers, Pelageya Brazhnikova
- Top 24 Contemporary: Lucian DeBellis, Ella Berton
NYCDA
- Leah Bulson, Top 5
- Ayla Flowers, Top 5
- Reese Canterna, Outstanding Dancer
- Avani Agarwal, Outstanding Dancer
- Sophia Zhang, Outstanding Dancer
- Sophia Campbell, Outstanding Dancer
NAACP ACT-SO
- Naomi Taylor, Gold, $10,000 Lancôme Scholarship
- Sophia Blucker, Silver
- Skylar Mason, Silver
2023 Season
YAGP
- Grand Prix Award, Corbin Holloway
- Junior Grand Prix Award, Eric Poor
- 1st Place Large Ensemble, WEPA! by Robert J. Priore
- YAGP Finals Invitation, Berkleigh Hernandez, Corbin Holloway, Audrey Yasutake, Eric Poor, Ella Berton, Simon Tischler
- 2nd Place Men, YAGP Finals, Eric Poor
NYCDA
- Eric Poor, 1st Place, Top 3 Junior Outstanding Dancer
- Ayla Flowers, Top 10, Outstanding Dancer
- Ayla Flowers, Top 5
- Reese Canterna, Outstanding Dancer
- Avani Agarwal, Outstanding Dancer
- Lucian DeBellis, Outstanding Dancer
USA/IBC Jackson
- Special Recognition Award, Corbin Holloway
- Finalist, Simon Tischler
- Finalist, Ella Berton
NAACP ACT-SO
Gisele Sonnier, Gold, $10,000 Lancôme Scholarship
2022 Season
NAACP ACT-SO
Bianca Cala, Gold, $10,000 Lancôme Scholarship
2021 Season
YAGP
- Youth Grand Prix, Rebecca Stewart (New York)
- Youth Grand Prix, Corbin Holloway (Pittsburgh)
- Youth Grand Prix, Corbin Holloway (Boston)
- Hope Award, Eric Poor
- Outstanding School Award, CityDance Conservatory
2020 Season
YAGP
Hope Award, Eric Poor
2019 Season
YAGP
- Hope Award, Corbin Holloway
- Outstanding Teacher Award, Stanislav Issaev
2018 Season
YAGP
- Hope Award, Corbin Holloway
- Hope Award, Rebecca Stewart
Prix de Lausanne
- Makani Yerg – Finalist
2017 Season
YAGP
- Outstanding School Award, CityDance Conservatory
2014 Season
YAGP
- Outstanding School Award, CityDance School & Conservatory
2012 Season
YAGP
- Youth Grand Prix, Larissa Nugent