Overview
- Saio, a California-based 15-year-old, was named the junior division’s top winner after Monday’s final results in Houston.
- In the junior ranks, Teranishi, 12, took the boys title while Takahashi, 14, won the girls title.
- In the pre-competitive 9–11 bracket, Katayama won boys classic, with Kawabata third in boys and Mikami third in girls.
- Other podiums featured Japanese dancers, with Kawai tying for third in junior girls and Tsukamoto with Asada taking second in classical pas de deux.
- YAGP is a major youth ballet platform with age-based divisions that can open doors to scholarships and advanced training.