64 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

The quadrennial Moscow IBC -- one of the most prestigious & 'granddaddy' of all competitions -- begins today & continues through June 30.  It is being widely reported on Russian-language sites.  I will try my best to pass-on (translate) reports & 'news' on this thread.  Anyone who happens to be on-site is welcomed to post, of course!

First off...here is the distinguished panel of judges. Quite a line-up! [My own "comments" in brackets.]

JUDGES


RUSSIA:  (4 judges from the host country)

Chairman of the Jury:
Yuri Grigorovich

Altinai Assylmuratova

Natalia Bessmertnova [Mrs. Grigorovich]

Mikhail Lavrovsky   [long-time professional partner of Mrs. Grigorovich]


OTHER COUNTRIES:

BELARUS'   Valentina Elizariev

UKRAINE    Yuri Stanishevski

BULGARIA     Biser Deyanov-Todorov

GERMANY   Konstanze Vernon

ITALY   Anna Prina

CANADA     Aleks Ursuliak

CHINESE PEOPLES' REPUBLIC   Bai Shu-syan

USA    Natalia Makarova

FRANCE   Charles Jude

SWITZERLAND    Heinz Spoerli

JAPAN     Minoru Ochi

[Natalia]

The various rounds & events:

June 20 - final registration & draw; Bolshoi Ballet's 'La Bayadere' (Grigorovich version), starring Svetlana Zakharova

June 21 - 23  - Round One (all competitors) - includes classical & modern dances; soloists and couples (pairs) allowed; both junior (ages 14-18) & senior (19-26) levels

June 25 - 26 - Round Two (semifinalists)

June 28 - 29 - Round Three (finals)

June 30 - Awarding of Prizes to dancers in all categories + special choreographic prize (among Modern Ballet segments)

July 1 - Special Gala Concert


At the Thursday, June 16, press conference, the following information concerning competitors was provided:

We received 450 applicants from 38 countries.  After eliminations work, including the screening of videos, photos and applications, some 230 participants from 22 countries (including Austria, Bulgaria, Venezuela, China, USA, Ukraine, the Philippines, Russia, etc.) were invited to compete. So far, 201 dancers have confirmed their participation, among whom are 60 'juniors.' The rest are seniors.  ***Among the 201 dancers are some 45 past winners of recent International Ballet Competitions & from the All-Russia Competition in Krasnodar, who were allowed to pass-on to Round One without going through the preliminary elimination committee.   Some 30 choreographers have applied to the Choreographic Competition (their work to be seen in the modern segment of Round One).

Source:  Bolshoi Theater web site press release.

* I will post the list of all competing dancers as soon as it is available.

[Alexandra]

Thanks for the news, Natalia -- the Moscow competition web site looks like it's geared more to those competing than those interested in the results (i.e., no news component, at least not yet), so I'm glad you'll be keeping us up to date.  (At least one of the UBA students -- Mathias Dingman -- is competing. I don't know if the others from that school who went to Helsinki went on to Moscow as well, but I do know that he'd intended to.)

[bart]

How very cool to see that Natalia Makarova is representing the US.

[Natalia]

Thanks for the tip-off Alexandra.  I thought that one or two of the Korean girls were also competing.  Too, I heard that most of the recent graduates of the Vaganova Academy, as well as one or two of the younger Kirov-Mariinsky stars (Alina Somova) may be competiting.  Let's see who turns up on the final roster!

[Alexandra]

I've moved the threads discussing Alina Somova here so that this thread can be focused on the competition.

[Renata]

Privet Nataliya!

Thank you for reporting on the Moscow Competition.  Two of my daughter's friends are in the Junior Division so we are really excited to be able to hear the news from you.

Bolshoi spasibo!
Renata

[Natalia]

DAY ONE REPORT (will add/delete/edit this, as new info comes in)

Bits of Info re. Roster of Dancers, Jury changes -

REGARDING ROSTER:    

Although the competition just started, I'm still waiting for the final roster.  I've e-mailed the competition site for this & other official releases but have received nothing yet. [Mikhail -- if you have the final roster, or the order for Round One days, could you please e-mail them to me at nnabatova@yahoo.com or post a link to them here? Thanks.]

Confirmed top Russian & Ukrainian names, among dancers:

Bolshoi Ballet dancers, incl soloists:
Natalia Osipova (grad in '03...I've seen her...spectacular raven-haired beauty)
Anna Tikhomirova (another top grad of '02 or '03)
Lola Kochetkova - competing as BOTH dancer & choreographer (tall, dark-haired Glamazon type; I've reviewed her here before)
Ekaterina Krysanova
Chinara Alizade
Alexei Matrakhov
Pavel Dmitrichenko
Anton Kondratov

Bolshoi Choreographers, in addition to Lola Kochetkova:
Morihiro Ivata
Andrei Melanin

Kremlin Ballet soloist:
Roman Artyushkin  (I wonder if he is related to Alla Artyushkina, Bolshoi star 20 years ago?)

Moscow Ballet of Kasatkina-Vasiliov soloist:
Nikolai Chevychelov

Kirov-Mariinsky Soloist:
Evgenia Obraztsova  (grad of '02...sensation as Juliet at home and abroad...seen by some as a new Ulanova)

Favorite Ukrainian dancers, all confirmed:

Alla Domracheva, who competed as a junior last time, partnered by winner Leonid Sarafanov (now a Kirov star)
Denis & Anastasia Matvienko, as a couple - Denis has already won gold here; perhaps he is now a non-competing partner to Anastasia?
Andrei Pisarev (any relation to Ukrainean superstar Vadim Pisarev of 20 yrs back?)
Zherlin Ndudi
Yaroslav Salenko

"Favorites' if they show up; not yet sighted/confirmed:

Kirov-Mariinsky - Alina Somova, Julia Bolshakova, and this year's grads, many of whom are to be competing here

Tatchkin Ballet soloist Irina Kolesnikova not yet confirmed, but is to be competing


JURY NEWS:  

On Russian TV last night , Altynai Assylmuratova was not among the final jurors named by Yuri Grigorovich, although her no-show has not been publicly acknowledged yet.  Instead, esteemed Bolshoi coach & former ballerina, Ludmilla Semenyaka (not on the original list), was named.  So Semenyaka is definitely there as a juror.  Too, Charles Jude (France) had not appeared as of this morning but there is still a spot for him in the panel; he's expected to arrive later today (Day One).

COMPETITION NEWS:

It all began this morning, with Group One of Day One (two groups each day, with a mix of Juniors & Seniors in each) . Standouts in this initial group include senior men Zherlin Ndudi of Ukraine & Ivan Vasiliev of Belarus.  The former is elegant & soft; the latter very powerful jumper & Spartacus type of guy, who 'nailed it' with a Flames of Paris variation.  No big stand-outs among the women yet, although the Bolshoi's Anna Tikhomirova made an impression in her Kitri Act III variation.  Natalia Vorontsova (Russia?) was mentioned as a good junior girl in this morning's group. No junior boys mentioned yet.

No non-USSR-territory dancers mentioned yet. Perhaps the Americans & others have yet to compete.  [UPDATE:  Matthias Dingman of the USA/U.B.A.-Wash, DC,  competed this morning, as per chiapuris' report, below.]

Edited by Natalia, 21 June 2005 - 12:13 PM.

[Renata]

Hi.
I believe that Andrei Pisarov is the son of Vadim.
Renata

[Natalia]

Renata, on Jun 21 2005, 01:27 PM, said:

Hi.
I believe that Andrei Pisarov is the son of Vadim.
Renata

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, Renata.

Lots of second-generation dancers are beginning to make their mark. For ex., Ivan Sitnikov, son of Kirov soloist of 1980s Irina Sitnikova, just graduated at the top of the 2005 male class at the Vaganova Academy.

[chiapuris]

Just a quick note:
Yes, Alexandra, Matthias Dingman did compete already.
We saw him perform in the morning session today (6/21) of the first round.
He danced a variation from Coppelia, and then, later, his 'modern'
entry which I liked a lot.

The jury is as Natalia reported. Semenyanka has replaced
Assylmuratova. Jude is not here yet.

I spotted George Zoritch (for those with long memories) at the Bayadere performance,
and he was at both sessions today.

I'm trying to send a brief report on yesterday's
Bayadere but my web connection here is very slow.

[Helene]

chiapuris,

Thank you for the on-hand report.  It's hard to work with slow connections, but do know we appreciate it!

Natalia,

Many thanks for serving as Bureau Chief from afar and for collecting and translating all of this info from your correspondents!

[Natalia]

I'll echo Helene's 'thanks' to you, chiapuris!

[Renata]

Hi Natalia and Chiapuris!
Thank you so much for being our eyes at the Moscow Competition.  Has Isaac Hernandez (    juniors, age 15 from Mexico) competed or is he still to come?
Renata

[chiapuris]

To Renata:
Isaak Hernandez competed on Monday; I thought his 'modern' piece was very good.

Natalia,
You were quite right to point out Zherlin Ndudi of the Ukraine.
His 'modern' piece to Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee
was fresh and sensational.
Of the list from the Bolshoi school and company, we've only seen so far
Anna Tikhomirova and Chinara Alizade.
[The first day they didn't  circulate
programs with participants' listing,
so I had to make notes from the announcements  -in the dark.]

Other Americans who've already competed
are: (today's morning session 6/22) Yana Feldman and Christine Shevchenko.