STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Our students’ accomplishments testify to the success of our program. Dancers have been accepted and awarded scholarships to attend the summer programs at the schools of major ballet companies, and many have gone on to professional careers in dance.
Southland Ballet Academy students have participated in prestigious ballet competitions and exhibitions around the world, bringing home many awards and acknowledgements. These include annual representation at regional and national finals of Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the Spotlight Awards at the Los Angeles Music Center, and Southland Ballet Dancers have represented the United States in the Prix de Lausanne Ballet Competition in Switzerland, and the First International Ballet Competition in Nagoya, Japan.
2025-2026 Student Accomplishments
Prix de Lausanne:
Yusei (Leon) Sai – 5th Prize Scholarship
LA Music Center Spotlight Awards
Afina Gosla – Ballet Finalist
Silvia Snow – Ballet Merit Award
YAGP Finals:
YAGP Finals Participants
Pre-Competitive Classical –Sean Sai (10)
Junior Division – Katarina Carney (14), Madeline Chang (12), Ginevra Liu (14), Leon Sai (14)
Senior Division – Toscane Acket (15), Afina Gosla (15), Felicity Gundersen (16), Aurora Kellogg (17), Silvia Snow (15), Oliver Teo (15)
Classical Pas de Deux – Giselle Peasant Pas (Magnolia Liu & Oliver Teo), The Bronze Horseman (Madeline Chang & Ace Acket)
Classical Duet/Trio – Of One (Ginevra Liu & Magnolia Liu), Paquita Pas de Trois (Ginevra Liu, Magnolia Liu & Oliver Teo)
Contemporary Duet – AI (Ginevra Liu & Magnolia Liu), Momentum (Emma Nyman & Sara Nyman)
Large Ensemble – Atmos (Toscane Acket, Avery Brehmer, Katarina Carney, Madeline Chang, Elena Fuchigami, Riley Hendricks, Aurora Kellogg, Magnolia Liu, Emma Nyman, Sara Nyman, Julia O’Brien, Hayden Pitlik, Wendy Rasmussen, Leon Sai, Audrey Schneider)
YAGP Regionals:
Los Angeles (October)
Afina Gosla – 1st Place Classical & Top 12 Contemporary, Senior
Silvia Snow – 2nd Place Classical & Top 12 Contemporary, Senior
Aurora Kellogg – 3rd Place Contemporary & Top 12 Classical, Senior
Felicity Gundersen – Top 12 Classical, Senior
Mandy Hur – Top 12 Contemporary, Senior
Leon Sai – Youth Grand Prix Award, Junior
Katarina Carney – 3rd Place Classical & Top 12 Contemporary, Junior
Madeline Chang – Top 12 Classical, Junior
Ginevra Liu – Top 12 Contemporary, Junior
Sean Sai – Top 12 Classical & Top 12 Contemporary, Pre-Competitive
Sara Takeuchi – Top 12 Classical & Top 12 Contemporary, Pre-Competitive
Of One (Ginevra Liu & Magnolia Liu) – 3rd Place Ensemble
Outstanding School Award – SBA
San Diego (November)
Silvia Snow – 1st Place Classical, Senior
Toscane Acket – Top 12 Classical, Senior
Mandy Hur – Top 12 Classical, Senior
Julia Prevost – Top 12 Classical, Senior
Julia Kent – Top 12 Classical, Junior
Ginevra Liu – Top 12 Classical, Junior
AI (Ginevra Liu & Magnolia Liu) – 2nd Place Small Ensembles
Seattle
Katarina Carney – 1st Place Classical, Junior
Las Vegas
Brielle Aucoin – Top 12 Classical, Senior
Los Angeles/Huntington Beach February
Felicity Gunderson – 1st Place Classical, Senior
Amelie Hoang – Top 12 Classical & Top 12 Contemporary, Senior
Hayden Pitlik – Top 12 Classical, Senior
Clara Attlesey – Top 24 Classical, Senior
Julia O’Brien – Top 24 Classical, Senior
Wendy Rasmussen – Top 24 Classical, Senior
Madeline Chang – 3rd Place Classical & Top 24 Contemporary, Junior
Cecilia Gundersen – Top 24 Classical, Junior
Samantha Kim – Top 24 Classical, Junior
Zoe Zeng – Top 24 Classical, Junior
Kaylee Park – Top 12 Classical, Pre-Competitive
Paquita Pas de Trois (Ginevra Liu, Magnolia Liu & Oliver Teo) – 2nd Place Ensembles
Giselle Peasant Pas de Deux (Ginevra Liu & Oliver Teo) – Top 12 Ensembles
San Diego February
Celine Tran – Top 12 Classical, Pre-Competitive
Los Angeles/Irvine March
Oliver Teo – 3rd Place Classical Men, Senior
Brielle Aucoin – 3rd Place Classical, Senior
Clara Attlesey – Top 12 Classical & Top 12 Contemporary, Senior
Mia Frederick – Top 12 Classical & Top 12 Contemporary, Senior
Emily Holder – Top 12 Classical, Senior
Audrey Schneider – Top 24 Classical, Senior
Madeline Chang – 2nd Place Classical, Junior
Ginevra Liu – 3rd Place Contemporary, Junior
Lena Lee – Top 12 Classical, Junior
Savannah Koch – Top 12 Classical, Junior
Emery Tuano – Top 24 Classical, Junior
Sean Sai – 1st Place Classical, Pre-Competitive
Giselle Peasant Pas de Deux (Ginevra Liu & Oliver Teo) – 2nd Place Pas de Deux
Of One (Ginevra Liu & Magnolia Liu) – Top 12 Small Ensemble
San Diego March
Aurora Kellogg – 2nd Place Classical, Senior
Aya Nakagawa – Top 24 Classical, Senior
Magnolia Liu – Top 12 Classical & Top 24 Contemporary, Junior
Sara Nyman – Top 24 Classical & Top 24 Contemporary, Junior
Kaylee Park – Top 12 Classical, Pre-Competitive
The Bronze Horseman (Ace Acket & Madeline Chang) – 2nd Place Pas de Duex
Atmos – 2nd Place Large Ensemble
Outstanding Choreography Award – Megan Doheny
ADC|IBC – Los Angeles
Julia Prevost – 7th Place Classical & 9th Place Contemporary, Senior
Madeline Chang – 8th Place Classical & 8th Place Contemporary, Junior
Universal Ballet Competition
Los Angeles Semi-Finals – March
Best Classical Coach – Southland Ballet Academy Faculty
Oliver Teo – 7th Place Classical, Senior Competitive
Mandy Hur – 9th Place Classical & 6th Place Contemporary, Senior Competitive
Amelie Hoang – 8th Place Contemporary, Senior Competitive
Clara Attlesey – 12th Place Classical, Senior Competitive
Lena Lee – 1st Place Classical, Junior Competitive
Julia Kent – 4th Place Classical & 13th Place Contemporary, Junior Competitive
Samantha Kim – 7th Place Classical, Junior Competitive
Emery Tuano – 8th Place Classical, Junior Competitive
Sara Nyman – 11th Place Classical, Junior Competitive
Riley Hendricks – 12th Place Classical, Junior Competitive
Savannah Koch – 1st Place Classical, Junior Intermediate
Christian Nyman – 4th Place Classical, Pre-Competitive Intermediate
Kaylee Park – 3rd Place Classical, Primary Intermediate
Giselle Peasant Pas de Deux (Ginevra Liu & Oliver Teo) – 1st Place Pas de Deux, Junior Competitive
Of One (Ginevra Liu & Magnolia Liu) – 1st Place Duo/Trio, Junior Competitive
Paquita Pas de Trois (Ginevra Liu, Magnolia Liu & Oliver Teo) – 3rd Place Duo/Trio, Junior Competitive
Momentum (Emma Nyman & Sara Nyman) – 4th Place Duo/Trio, Junior Competitive
AI (Ginevra Liu & Magnolia Liu) – 5th Place Duo/Trio, Junior Competitive
Tuileries (Arya Nguyen & Amelia Redhead) – 4th Place Duo/Trio, Junior Intermediate
California Dance Classics
Downey Regionals
Toscane Acket – Bronze Medal Classical, Ages 15 -16
Amelie Hoang – Honorable Mention Classical & Honorable Mention Contemporary, Ages 15-16
Emily Holder – Honorable Mention Classical, Ages 15-16
Ginevra Liu – Gold Medal Classical & Honorable Mention Contemporary, Ages 13-14
Magnolia Liu – Honorable Mention Classical & Honorable Mention Contemporary, Ages 13-14
Madeline Chang – Honorable Mention Classical & Special Honorable Mention Contemporary, Ages 11-12
Kaylee Park – Special Honorable Mention Classical & Honorable Mention Contemporary, Ages 9-10
Celine Tran –Honorable Mention Classical, Ages 9-10
Don Quixote Pas de Deux (Sami Santos & Ryan Robinson) – Gold Medal Classical Pas de Deux
Giselle Peasant Pas de Deux (Ginevra Liu & Oliver Teo) – Silver Medal Classical Pas de Deux
The Bronze Horseman Pas de Deux (Madeline Chang & Ace Acket) – Special Honorable Mention Classical Pas de Deux
Paquita Pas de Trois (Ginevra Liu, Magnolia Liu & Oliver Teo) – Silver Medal Classical Ballet Duo/Trio, Ages 14+
Of One (Ginevra Liu & Magnolia Liu) – Honorable Mention Classical Ballet Duo/Trio, Ages 14+
Tuileries (Arya Nguyen & Amelia Redhead) – Gold Medal Classical Ballet Duo/Trio, Ages 11-13
AI (Ginevra Liu & Magnolia Liu) – Bronze Medal Contemporary Duo/Trio, Ages 14+
San Diego Regionals
Brielle Aucoin – Gold Medal Classical, Ages 17+
Mandy Hur – Gold Medal Classical & Silver Medal Contemporary, Ages 15-16
Clara Attlesey – Honorable Mention Classical, Ages 15-16
Sofia Schreiner – Honorable Mention Classical, Ages 11-12
Ocean & Pearls (Emma Nyman & Sara Nyman) – Silver Medal Classical Duo/Trio, Ages 14+
Momentum (Emma Nyman & Sara Nyman) – Silver Medal Contemporary Duo/Trio, Ages 14+