NEW YORK, NY(SMI-GLOBAL-ARTS-ENTERTAINMENT-APRIL 08-17, 2025)-The Valentina Kozlova Int'l Ballet competition known for its well acclaimed ballet educational programs & generous scholarship awards to winners of its annual Ballet competition concluded its 2025-edition in grandiose style, announcing the winners of the classical and contemporary competitions on its final gala last Saturday's evening at John Jay College Theater in NYC.

 

Hundred plus Ballet dancers(Female & Male) representing over 10+ countries from around the world: Brazil, Canada, South-Korea, China, Panama, Italy, Germany, Paraguay, Armenia, & USA. 

The VKIBC founded by the former ballerina from Russia Valentina Kozlova, it's known for attracting aspiring ballet dancers from around the world, and selected qualified contestants are invited to compete for medals, scholarships, contracts and prizes annually in front of classical and contemporary expert ballet jurors.

In addition to the ballet divisions and dancers, the competition brings a line-up of reputable judges with extensive expertise in the field of ballet and score the contestants based on their talent and abilities, and not persuaded on school status, teacher or coach.

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2025 Classical/Contemporary Jurors/Judges:

-Nina Ananiashvili(Georgia), President of Ballet of Georgia.

-Joan Boada (USA), Artistic Director. Associate Director Boston Ballet

-Nicole Duffy (Puerto Rico),Rehearsal Director Ballet Hispanico

-Diane Hakak (USA), Founder & Director of New Elite Ballet

-Chan Hon Goh(Canada),Director Goh Ballet Academy & Former Principal Dancer National Ballet of Canada.

-Virginia Johnson (USA),Artistic Dir Emerita/Dance Theater of Harlem.

-Era Jouravlev (USA) Program Director " Joffrey Ballet School

-Andrei Jouravlev (USA) Dance Theacher of Joffrey Ballet School

-Hee Sun Kim (South Korea) Dean of School of Dance, Korea University of Arts.

-Graham Lustig (USA) Artistic Director Oakland Ballet

-Steven Melendez (USA) Artistic Director NY Theater Ballet

-Rio Mitani (Japan)  Artistic Director ABC Tokyo Ballet Co & ABS Tokyo.

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

-Margo Sappington (USA) International Choreaggrapher & Director

-Ricardo Scheir (Brazil/Italy) Artistic Director PAVILHAO D

-Sergei Soloviev (France) Former Bolshoi Principal Dancer & International Teacher

-Eduardo Vilaro (Cuban-American/USA) Artistic Director & CEO Of Ballet Hispanico

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Article & Photos By Marcello Cutti II/Women Starlight/Starlight Illustrated

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2025 Classical Competition Medal Winners:

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Classical Bronze Medals:

Youth Division:

Antonella Algeri (Brazil)

Junior Division:

Anna Li (Female, Canada)

Pedro Napoleao (Male, Brazil)​

Senior Division Group 1

Female: Maria Antonia Schmitt (Brazil) & Hoelim Sohn(South Korea).

Male: Emanuel Lopes   ( Brazil) & Christopher de Godoy Bitar (USA)

 

​Silver Medals:

Pre-Youth Division: WeiYi Ma (China)

Youth Division: Manuela Catharino   (Brazil) 

Student Division: Mariana D'Orazio  (Brazil)

Junior Division:

Female: Samyra Abbas (Brazil) & Sophia Witherly ( Canada)

Male: Owen Tang (Canada)

Senior Division 2:

Female: Jacqueline Bertault (USA)

Male: Hyunmo Koo (South Korea)

 

Gold Medals:

Pre-Youth Division: Na Eun Park (Female, South Korea)

Youth Division: Nikki Chan   (Canada) 

 Student Division:  Seowoo Cho  (South Korea)

Junior Division:

Female: Romina Rubio (Panama) & Kelly Park (USA) 

Senior Division 1:

Female: Chaeeun Park  (South Korea)

Male: Andre Zwieskowski (Brazil)

Senior Division 2:

Female: Hui Jeong Ryu (South Korea)

Grand Prix: Da Jeong Ryu (South Korea)