Two Sarasota Ballet Students to Perform at International Ballet Festival

Sarasota Gold Medalists to Dance at International Ballet Festival of Miami

Gabriella Stilo and Francisco Serrano, pre-professional dancers with the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School will perform Diana and Acteon Pas de Deux at the International Ballet Festival of Miami on Friday, August 30 and Saturday August 31 at the Miami Dade College Lehman Theater. 

The pair was invited to participate by the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP) to dance with other select gold medal winners as part of the festival’s International Young Medalists Performance.

Background on the dancers:

Gabriella Stilo, 13, began dance at the age of two. At the YAGP 2013 Semi-Finals in Tampa, Florida, Gabriella received Second place in the Classical Dance Category and Third Place in the Contemporary Dance Category of the Junior Division.  Gabriella, and her dance partner received Second Place in the Pas de Deux Category. Gabriella is a two time winner of the American Dance Competition (ADC) Junior ADC Grand Prix (scoring the highest among over 200 Junior competitors in all required sections of the Competition in 2012 and 2013).  She, and her dance partner, won First Place in the ensemble category for their pas de deux in 2012 and 2013.

She received scholarships from the Australian Ballet School, the Princess Grace Academy in Monte Carlo, and the Vienna State Opera Ballet.

Francisco Serrano, 16, began his career at the age of 13 under his mother’s instruction. In a very short time he has achieved many awards such as YAGP Grand Prix Atlanta 2013. He placed top 12 at the YAGP New York finals where he won a full scholarship to the Royal Ballet in London.  He was a Gold Medalist at ADC 2013 in the Classical and Contemporary Divisions and he also won the Fernando Bujones Excellence Award at ADC 2013. 

Both Gabriella and Francisco are training at The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School under the direction of Ariel Serrano and Wilmian Hernandez.