NEW YORK, NY(SMI-PERFORMING-ARTS, JUNE 21-24,2022)-The Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition kicked-off it's 2022 annual edition Today with a live performance and audience in attendance after it went virtual for two years due to Covid-19, global pandemic that shot-down most major cities around the world and claimed the lives of over six millions people globally at the Symphony Space Theater in New York City.

This three-day annual international ballet competition and gala performance,
is celebrating it's 10-years edition of excellence featuring ballet dancers from around the world who compete in two dance competition: Classic and Contemporary and different age categories for scholarships and job contracts in the industry.

The first round of competition concluded today with dancers of different age group competed in the Classic Dance competition with a panel of 13- jurors who serve as judges from renowned US and international dance institutions.

 

In this year competition, there are around 100 dancers representing 19-countries: Aruba, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, USA, and Venezuela and where each dancer select their own dances from a list provided by VKIBC, which include ; Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and other classics.

In addition to the dancers, there are two group of jurors that will judge during the three day competition : Classic Dance and the contemporary dance competitions.

Judges for Classical Dance Include:

Charles Jude, France, President of the Jury, former etoile of Paris Opera Ballet, trustee for Nureyev and Lifar Foundations

Nina Ananiashvili, Republic of Georgia, internationally renowned ballerina, Artistic Director of State Ballet of Georgia

Patricia Aulestia de Alba, Mexico, founder/director of Ballet Nacional Ecuatoriano

Cervilio Amador, USA, Ballet Master of Cincinnati Ballet

Petar Dorchevski, Slovenia, Assistant to Artistic Director of Ljubljana Opera House

Gladisa Guadalupe, USA, Artistic Director Cleveland Ballet and School of Cleveland Ballet

Olga Guardia De Smoak, Panama, President of New Orleans International Ballet Conference

Sun Hee Kim, South Korea, Dean of Korea National University of Arts School of Dance

Paul McRae, USA, Assistant Director of New Jersey Ballet

Christopher Moore, UK, Artistic Director of Ballet Theatre UK, London

Mikko Nissinen, USA, Artistic Director of Boston Balle

Nell Shipman, USA, Artistic Director of Portland Ballet

Sergei Soloviev, France and Russian Federation, Teacher at Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse

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Judges for Contemporary Dance:

 

Charles Jude, France, President of the Jury

Mi Sook Jeon, South Korea, international dance educator and choreographer

Virginie Mecene, USA, Artistic Director of Graham 2

Steven Melendez, USA, Artistic Director of New York Theatre Ballet

David Parsons, USA, Founder/Director of Parsons Dance

Melanie Person, USA, Co-Director, The Ailey School

Ricardo Scheir, Brazil, Director of Pavilhao D Centro de Arts, Sao Paulo

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Tomorrow resumes the second day of competition and it's open to the public.

 

Find the schedule below: 

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June 22, starting at 3 PM to approximately 5:45 PM - Contemporary Dance Round

June 23, starting at 4 PM to approximately 6:30 PM - Finals

June 24, starting at 7 PM with Gala Performance, followed by announcement of the awards

Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street)