NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION

New York International Ballet Competition will come to an exciting conclusion Sunday June 28th with the announcement of the prize winners and a Gala Performance, featuring current and past participants of NYIBC.

Guest Performers Include Roddy Doble, Karina Gonzalez, Ricardo Graziano,Victoria Mazzarelli, Alexandre Proia.

Special guests returning to perform are:

Roddy Doble (USA) 2007 Finalist, now a member of American Ballet Theatre.Doble will perform Solor's Variation from Act I of La Bayadere. Karina Gonzalez (Venezuela) 2007 Silver Medalist, and partner Ricardo Graziano (Brazil) recipient of the Lefkowitz Award for Artistic Achievement 2007, both members of the Tulsa Ballet. The couple will perform Danny Pelzig's duet Nobody Knows Me, set to music by Lyle Lovett. Victoria Mazzarelli (USA) Gold Medalist at the first NYIBC in 1984, and Alexandre Proia (France) Finalist at the first NYIBC in 1984.

Mazzarelli remains the only American woman to receive a Gold Medal. She performed as a principal dancer with companies in Germany and Switzerland and, now back in the US, she is Associate Artistic Director of the Nutmeg Conservatory in Connecticut. Proia went directly from NYIBC into New York City Ballet and is now a teacher, director, choreographer and coach. The couple will dance the world premiere of Proia's You're My Thrill, sung by Lew Stone.

Program Notes by Proia:

"You're My Thrill was created especially for the 25th Anniversary of NYIBC.   Though Victoria and I participated in the first competition, we went on to separate careers and have never danced together, until this evening.

I have not performed as a dancer for 8 years, which made it a challenge to find the right mood, moves and music appropriate for both our ages and abilities."   The dance is dedicated to Ilona Copen, who retires this year as Executive Director of NYIBC.

The program will be completed by performances of the 2009 participants.   Three outstanding couples will be invited to perform the 3 Competition pas de deux (Paquita, Raymonda, Paul Taylor's Aureole).   Dancers will also perform selected solos that they brought from home.

The evening will begin with all dancers, coaches, judges and NYIBC staff on stage for announcement of the prize winners, hosted by ROBERT BATTLE.Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists will be announced; Lefkowitz Awards for Artistic Achievement; and the two contracts – the Igor Youskevitch Award (a one-year contract with ABT), and the Arpino Award (a one-year contract with Joffrey Ballet/Chicago).   All awards are made at the discretion of the judges and the representatives of ABT and Joffrey.