THE FIRST BOSTON INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION

 

THE FIRST BOSTON INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION CONCLUDES WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF MEDALISTS AND RECIPIENTS OF SPECIAL AWARDS, AND A GALA PERFORMANCE.

May 16 at John Hancock Hall, Boston, Massachusetts

"The future of ballet shone bright Monday night in the Gala Performance of the first
Boston International Ballet Competition, not only for the classics, but also for
contemporary, even pop-tinged, dance."
Thea Singer, The Boston Globe, May 18, 2011

The First Edition of the Boston International Ballet Competition (BIBC), founded and directed by Valentina Kozlova, ended the three days of rounds for student, junior, and senior divisions, with announcements of medalists and special prize winners, and a stunning performance with medalists, joined by guests Jennie Somogyi and Charles Askegard of New York City Ballet, Whitney Jensen and Joseph Gatti of Boston Ballet, and Alexandra Jacob and Samuel Wilson of Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble. The performance was an example of the outstanding level of both technical and artistic accomplishment of BIBC, whose entrants came from 23 countries around the world and included members of the Royal Swedish Ballet, Boston Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Korea National University of Arts, and many others.

In the Competition Rounds, the dancers performed selections from Don Quixote, Paquita, Le Corsaire, and other classics, which they chose from the list of repertoire created by BIBC. They were also required to learn original solos -for the women by Margo Sappington, and for the men by Edwaard Liang -which, keeping up with the changing times, they learned from an on-line video.

Dancers performed before a panel of internationally known judges, led by President of the Jury

• Mikko Nissinen, director of the Boston Ballet, and
• Oleksi Bessmertni (Germany)
• Hae Shik Kim (South Korea)
• Andris Liepa (Russia)
• Maria Luisa Noronha (Brazil)
• Violette Verdy (France), and
• Septime Webre (USA)

With the judges assembled on stage, Valentina Kozlova presented the following awards:
Senior Division (ages 19-25)

Men
Gold Young Gyu Choi (South Korea) ($9,000 plus gold medal certificate)
Silver Andile Ndlovu (South Africa) ($5,000 plus silver medal certificate)
Bronze Brooklyn Mack (USA) ($1,250 plus bronze medal certificate)
Rodrigo Almarales (Cuba) ($1,250 plus bronze medal certificate)

Women
Gold Ji Young Chae (South Korea) ($9,000 plus gold medal certificate)
Silver no Silver was awarded
Bronze Yae Gee Park (South Korea )($2,500 plus bronze medal certificate)

Junior Division (ages 15-18)
Gold no Gold was awarded
Silver Ms. Thamires Chuvas (Brazil) ($750 plus silver medal certificate)
Ms. Minju Kang (South Korea) ($750 plus silver medal certificate)
Bronze Ms. Ayaka Fujii (Japan) ($250 plus bronze medal certificate)
Ms. Yoshiko Kamikusa (Canada) ($250 plus bronze medal certificate)

Student Division (ages 13 & 14)
Gold Mr. Jin Sol Eum (South Korea) (First Place certificate)
Silver Ms. Alicia Fotino (USA) (Second Place certificate)
Bronze Ms. Hannah Park (USA) (Third Place certificate)
Ms. Maggie Yin Horowitz (USA) (Third Place certificate)

Special Awards:

Maris Liepa Prize for Outstanding Artistry Brooklyn Mack (USA)
(selected and presented by Andris Liepa)
(Mr. Mack, currently with the Washington
Ballet Company, is invited to perform The Golden
Slave in Scheherazade in Andris Liepa's
upcoming International Gala in Moscow.)

Maris Liepa Award Special Prize Candice Adea (Philippines)
(selected and presented by Andris Liepa)
(Ms. Adea is invited to perform the role of
The Firebird in Andris Liepa's second  upcoming International Gala in Paris.)

Washington Ballet Studio Company Ji Young Chae (South Korea)
(a one-year contract for the 2011-12 season, selected by director Septime Webre)

Washington Ballet Summer Scholarships Thamires Chuvas (Brazil)
Sarah Steele (USA)

Chelyabinsk State Opera/Ballet Candace Adea and
Jean Marc Cordero (Philippines)
(the couple will dance the leads in the Russian company's production of Don Quixote)

Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida Emily Brak (USA)
Summer Scholarships Samantha Mele (USA)

Ballet Academy of Central Florida Maggie Yin Horowitz (USA)
Summer Scholarships Deanna Pearson (USA)

Boston Ballet School Sarah Steele (USA)
Summer Scholarship Minju Kang (South Korea)

Award of Excellence in Yae Gee Park (South Korea)
Contemporary Solos Adilijiang Abduruheman (China)

Columbia Classical Ballet contract Kanstantsin Geronik
William Starrett, Director (Belarus)

Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida contract Natasha Ivasenko
Vladimir Issaev, Director (Ukraine)

Terpsichore Prize Olga Smoak

Theatre Ballet-premier/LLC costume Prize Angelique Scully
(USA)

Valentina Kozlova Dance Anastasia Bykova (Russia)
Conservatory NY Alexandra Hartnett (USA)
Summer Scholarships Esmiana Jani (USA)

www.bostonibc.org
 

BIBC founder Valentina Kozlova, far left, with Judges and dancers. From left, Judges Maria Luisa Noronha (Brazil), Violette Verdy (France), Oleksi Bessmertni (Germany), Andris Liepa (Russia), Hae Shik Kim (South Korea), Judge in reserve Olga Smoak (Panama), choreographer Margo Sappington, and President of the Jury Mikko Nissinen, Artistic Director, Boston Ballet. Photos © Brian Mengini

© 2005 – 2011 Danza Ballet

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