Varna International Ballet Competition

The Varna International Ballet Competition is a biennial ballet competition held in Varna, Bulgaria.^[1] The competition was founded in 1964 and subsequently held in 1965 and 1966, and then every two years starting in 1968.^[1] Many dancers have gained their first international recognition at the competition.^[2]

Since the contest is a fierce one, lasting half a month, the Varna International Ballet Competition has been called the "olympics of dance".^[3]

Winners

1964 : Vladimir Vasiliev,^[4] Grand Prix of Varna; Alla Sizova, Ekaterina Maximova, Vera Kirova, Sergei Vikulov, and Nikita Dolgushin (all gold medal)
1965 : Natalia Makarova (gold medal), Loipa Araújo (gold medal)
1966 : Aurora Bosch (gold medal), Martine van Hamel (distinction, junior division), Mikhail Baryshnikov (first place, junior division)^[5]
1968 : Marta García (first place, junior division), Rita Poelvoorde (silver medal)
1970 : Eva Evdokimova (gold medal), Rosario Suárez (first place, junior division)
1972 : Lyubov Gershunova^[6]
1974 : Fernando Bujones (gold medal), Yoko Morishita (gold medal), Tatyana Kapustina (bronze medal)^[7]
1976 : Patrick Dupond (Special Prize of the Youth Organization of Varna, junior division)
1978 : Élisabeth Platel (silver medal) // René de Cárdenas (best duo, junior division)
1980 : Evelyn Hart (gold medal) and David Peregrine (bronze medal) // Karin Averty (Special Prize of the Youth Organization of Varna, junior division)
1983 : Sylvie Guillem^[8] (Special Prize of the Youth Organization of Varna, junior division)
1984 : Manuel Legris
1988 : Virginie Kempf (gold medal)
1992 : Aurélie Dupont, José Carlos Martinez, (gold medals), Zenaida Yanowsky (silver medal), Yury Yanowsky//Bernard Courtot de Bouteillier, Molly Smolen//Delphine Baey (bronze medals)), Molly Smolen (Prix de Nina Ricci)
1994 : Clairemarie Osta (silver medal), Laetitia Pujol (silver medal)
1996 : Rasta Thomas (first place, junior)
1998 : Zhu Yan (gold Medal) // Chi Cao (gold medal)
2000 : Lali Kandelaki, Xiao Feng Fan, Shen Yi Sun (gold medal, seniors)^[9]
2002 : Hélène Bouchet (silver Medal)
2004 : Daniil Simkin (gold medal, junior), Yum Yunesava (first place junior), Arman Grigoryan (gold medal, senior), Mathilde Froustey (gold medal, senior)
2006 : Aubert Vanderlinden, Ivan Vasiliev (special prize, junior division)
2012 : Brooklyn Mack (gold medal)^[2] // Denis Cherevichko (gold medal)
2014 : Soo Bin Lee (special distinction), Sara Renda (bronze medal), Ralitsa Ilieva (bronze medal)
2016 : Amanda Gomes (gold medal) // Paul Marque (gold medal)
2018 : António Casalinho (first place, juniors), Siyi Li (first place, girls), Yuan Zhe Zi Huan (gold medal，women), Katherine Barkman (silver medal), Sinuo Chang (gold medal, men)^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b "International Ballet Competitions". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
^ ^a ^b Kaufman, Sarah (31 July 2012). "Brooklyn Mack of Washington Ballet wins gold at International Ballet Competition". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
^ The Olympics Of Ballet Crowns A New Champion, review by Walter Terry, 8 August 1976, The New York Times.
^ The World Famous Stars of IBC – Varna, official site of the IBC.
^ Judge, Christine. "Mikhail Baryshnikov's Defection". Mount Holyoke College website. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
^ Ушла из жизни Любовь Васильевна Гершунова. VN.ru.
^ Ламин В. А. (2003). Энциклопедия. Новосибирск. Новосибирск: Новосибирское книжное издательство. p. 398. ISBN 5-7620-0968-8.
^ Dunning, Jennifer (30 July 1983). "3 Americans are winners in international ballet competition". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
^ "XIX International Ballet Competition – Varna 2000". 18 April 2018.
^ "XXVI Varna IBC 2014". 18 April 2018.