Rochester dancers pirouette to the top...

As reported in the Democrat & Chronicle yesterday, two local teenagers and dancers with the Rochester City Ballet, and RCB Artistic Director Jamey Leverett were honored at the Youth America Grand Prix Finals in New York City.  Jim Nowakowski and Brittany Shinay took home top honors yesterday, topping more than 600 dancers who represented over 150 ballet schools from across the world. The three were there representing the Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education, which is the official training school of RCB. Leverett was awarded Most Outstanding Teacher, presented by Dance Magazine. Jim Nowakowski was awarded Gold Medal first place honors in the senior mens division. Nowakowski and Shinay also won Gold Medal first place honors in the small ensemble division for their ensemble piece Symbion, which was choreographed by Leverett.