At just nine, Lea Ellul Sullivan has become the first-ever Maltese dancer to successfully qualify for the Youth American Grand Prix Finals. Together with her teacher Marisha Bonnici, she tells Iggy Fenech all about the experience at the Paris semifinals.

I took a liking to Lea the second she extended her hand to shake mine… Slightly shy but beaming, she looked so happy to be there and to be accompanied by her teacher, Marisha, who was still, very clearly, over the moon with Lea’s most recent accomplishment.

“Congratulations!” I tell Lea, before I turn to Marisha to ask her if she could actually believe that this was happening.

Marisha and I had been in touch for a while as our paths crossed time and time again in the lead-up to Lea going to Paris to take part in the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP) semifinals. As the world’s largest global dance network, the YAGP was a dream to be a part of and one that, sort of, fell in Marisha and Lea’s laps.

In fact, it all started out when various judges and teachers at international competitions Lea and her fellow ArtsExcel students took part in insisted Lea had what it takes to make the cut. Marisha believed in it, too, and they weren’t wrong.

When the YAGP Paris semi-finals results came out, Marisha messaged to tell me Lea had placed in the top 12. “We are super happy! Best 12 in Contemporary Solo, but no New York as yet… Still, what a fantastic result,” the message read. By the time I had finished writing my reply, Marisha messaged again to tell me that Lea had actually made it to the finals.

Every contestant taking part in the YAGP is critiqued by five experienced judges on their technique and musicality. The total score one can get for each is of 100; and if one judge awards a dancer a total score of 96 or higher, the dancer gets a straight ticket to New York. Lea’s joint score for her contemporary solo by one judge was 97.5, an impressive feat considering she was competing against some of the best dancers of her age in her category from all over Europe.

“When Lea got her result we were super elated,” Marisha recounts. “I had left right after she did her part on Thursday, as I had to return to Malta two days before due to other commitments. Lea stayed over with my mother for the rest of the workshops and masterclasses.

“So, obviously, when the results came out I called her to say well done, and it was all very emotional, but we thought that that was it. Until my mother called me again about 10 minutes later to tell me she had just picked up the report and she thought she was reading ‘Welcome to New York…’ At this point, I just remember telling my mother not to think but just read properly!’”

Lea was just as surprised by the result. At nine-years-old, she would be following in the footsteps of some of the most successful dancers in the world, including Melissa Hamilton from The Royal Ballet and Denis Matvienko from the Bolshoi Ballet, both of whom are alumni of the YAGP.

Lea with her teacher Marisha Bonnici.
Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

An impressive feat considering she was competing against some of the best dancers of her age in her category from all over Europe

Through the YAGP, dancers aged between nine and 19 from various economic, ethnic and geographic backgrounds are given once-in-a-lifetime opportunities in dance through scholarships and auditions, as well as educational and outreach activities, among others.

For a dancer like Lea, making it to the YAGP Finals could actually be a life-changing event; even the most defining moment of her career as the world’s top schools and dance companies will be at the Finals looking for the next generation of the world’s top dancers.

“It was a fun and exciting five days,” Lea, who is currently in Year Six at St Michael School, tells me. “I was over the moon when they told me I’d be going to New York and we’ve already started rehearsals… Ms Marisha puts a lot of work into my training, and she comes with me to every competition and teaches me new things all the time. I didn’t expect it, though… And my parents couldn’t believe it either… We kept checking again and again. But it was true and I feel proud of myself!”

Lea, who has since turned 10, has a pretty full schedule ahead of competing in the YAGP Finals in April. On top of her schoolwork, she has ballet exams coming up, the ArtsExcel School Show, a competition in Malta, a competition in Livorno, Italy, and will be attending masterclasses with Roberta Fontana, Lilly Shannon Parker and Julie Wherlock, who are returning to the ArtsExcel studio in the months to come.

“I feel very lucky that I get to have all these magical experiences related to dance,” she continues. “When we were at the Ballettschule Theatre School in Basel, Switzerland, we had fun meeting other students from other schools, attended some masterclasses, watched a rehearsal of the premiere ballet, and had a tour around the school, where we saw the places where they get ready, practice, and do their make-up.”

At the Ballettschule, Lea was with students who were four and five years older than her, but her mature outlook and undeniable talent meant she fit right in. A true sport in every sense of the word, her happy-go-lucky character and passion for dancing were sure reasons why she made it to the YAGP Finals.

“For the Classical Solo, all dancers had to go in order, but they couldn’t find the music for contestant 21 and so they called in 22… Which was Lea,” explains Marisha.

“Unfortunately, something went wrong and they put on the wrong version of the music Lea was meant to dance to… I was having an absolute panic attack backstage and she was dancing like nothing had happened on stage. Then they said it was their mistake, and they wanted us to do it again. I was worried she’d feel like it was too much, but once again she just agreed and went ahead with it.”

Lea’s passion for dance is infectious and her advice and hopes for the future are a reflection of a girl who is mature beyond her years.

“I think everyone should be proud of what they’ve achieved and should keep working hard to achieve their dreams… There are many great dancers whom I can learn from and, while I haven’t decided where I want to end up dancing, I know I want to be a dancer…”