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I'd love to have some news, too. KAB has four students competing -- I'm sure there are others here who have students or kids, or children of friends, etc., and even if you don't, this is a once-in-four-years show.

If anyone is there, please report! Just knowing who makes it from round to round would be nice.

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Thank you for that! We usually don't link to other message boards (we don't want to olnk to other discussions; we'd rather you talk about things here :) ) But this is a news thread, and we've always bent rules a bit for competitions, Olympic or otherwise, so thanks, and I hope this is of interest to some BTers.

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It's interesting that the opening-ceremony program seems to have ignored classical dance. I admire Rasta Thomas very much and have enjoyed the Bad Boys of Dance (joined in this performance by Danny Tidwell and by Thomas's wife). I understand that these are classically trained dancers. But as the centerpiece of what might well be the most-visible, most-publicized performance of the week? What do others think?

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Here's a list of the judges for 2010:

2010 International Jury Members

Bruce Marks, Chairman – USA; Alexei Ratmansky – Russia; Denise Schultze – South Africa; John Meehan – Australia; Hae Shik Kim – South Korea; Lita Beiris – Latvia; Bruce Simpson – Great Britain; Xiao Susha – China; Thomas Lund – Denmark; Hideo Fukagawa – Japan; Samantha Dunster – Canada; Doris Laine – Finland; Trinidad Vives – Spain

I would venture to say that some of them know a little about classical ballet. I think that Rasta has always had a close relationship with the IBC and the people of Jackson. He has become something akin to a "hometown hero," and returns for all of the reunion galas. So, it makes sense that his company danced in the opening night gala. The closing gala will be chock full of classical ballet, so perhaps that's why the organizers chose something like this for the opening.

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I would venture to say that some of them know a little about classical ballet. I think that Rasta has always had a close relationship with the IBC and the people of Jackson. He has become something akin to a "hometown hero," and returns for all of the reunion galas. So, it makes sense that his company danced in the opening night gala. The closing gala will be chock full of classical ballet, so perhaps that's why the organizers chose something like this for the opening.
Thanks for that explanation, its the mom. It makes sense, though I feel that they could have thrown in a couple of bravura solos or pas de deux (the crowd-pleasers) just to keep the classical flag flying. More dancing; fewer speeches. That's my formula for a great opener.
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It makes sense, though I feel that they could have thrown in a couple of bravura solos or pas de deux (the crowd-pleasers) just to keep the classical flag flying. More dancing; fewer speeches. That's my formula for a great opener.

It's been done that way in the past.

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Finalists for Round III have been announced:

http://www.usaibc.com/wordpress/wp-content...oundIIIMass.pdf

Lots of great dancers here. I'm personally thrilled for Maki Onuki of The Washington Ballet and for KAB's competitors. No surprise in seeing male wonders from Moscow IBC and other events here -- Pisarev, Hernandez and Sambe. Also familiar from past competitions is 2008 YAGP champion Derek Dunn - 'veteran' at the ripe old age of 15. However, I am a bit miffed that the highly-decorated Zherlin Ndudi of Ukraine did not progress past Round I. Yikes! What happened? And no USA ladies in either the Sr or Jr finals? Double Yikes!! It's nice to see countries like the Philippines and Portugal still in the mix. Good luck to all of the remaining competitors!

Andrei Pisarev won gold in last year's Moscow IBC -- shared it with Mariinsky star Shklyarov, in fact -- so I am betting that he'll do well here. Not to forget that Andrei's dad, Vadim, won gold in Jackson in the mid-80s.

Do any BTers who happen to be in Jackson have any thoughts on WHO they think will win the top prizes?

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Lots of great dancers here. I'm personally thrilled for Maki Onuki of The Washington Ballet and for KAB's competitors. No surprise in seeing male wonders from Moscow IBC and other events here -- Pisarev, Hernandez and Sambe. Also familiar from past competitions is 2008 YAGP champion Derek Dunn - 'veteran' at the ripe old age of 15. However, I am a bit miffed that the highly-decorated Zherlin Ndudi of Ukraine did not progress past Round I. Yikes! What happened?

Do any BTers who happen to be in Jackson have any thoughts on WHO they think will win the top prizes?

For full disclosure before any comments: I've not been able to attend all sessions, so haven't kept many notes on the performances. And while I'm not completely lacking in ballet knowledge, I'm also far from a technical expert.

The impression I and several others (but like me, knowledgable but not experts) I've talked to had of Ndudi was surprise by his performance considering the awards he has - we saw the ability but it was almost as if he wasn't fully prepared.

Talk has Pisarev and Cao Shuci for the top medals in their divisions - of their five performances, Pisarev's contemporary piece is the only one I've seen.

Hernandez and Sambe are most frequently mentioned for the junior men while Layun (junior women) was getting a lot of talk after the first round.

Some of my favorites: Oleynik, Onuki, Ige and Ito, Ji Young Chae and Ki-Min Kim

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Thanks so much, Payne! It's GREAT to have a candid report like this, with 'the buzz' about the favorites to win. This candor and "willingness to stick one's neck out" is what's missing from other fora.

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A few notes from last night, the first night of the final round.

1. The very first couple, Ji Young Chae and Ki-Min Kim, of Korea, set the standard for the evening with a lively, precise Esmeralda pas de deux. Unfortunately, I didn't find this couple's contemporary piece at all appealing.

2. Tamas Krizsa, the noncompeting partner of Maki Onuki (both of Washington Ballet), injured himself near the end of one of his solo portions of their pas de deux. He appeared to stumble out of the last (or nearly the last) of a series of leaps around the stage, then staggered a few steps, then fell to his knees. The music was stopped, the stage lights were brought down, and the hosts reported soon after that on-site medical staff had determined that he should be taken to a hospital with an apparent ruptured [Achilles?] tendon.

Prior to the injury, they were dancing beautifully. There is a very dramatic size difference in this couple, and at first I thought the size difference made for an odd combination. But it actually worked quite well, with his power and strength allowing him to support and lift her effortlessly.

3. The solo male competitors, Esteban Hernandez (jr, Mexico) and Rodrigo Almares (sr, Cuba) were both impressive.

4. The Belarusian couple Ekaterina Oleynik and her noncompeting partner Kanstantin Kuzniatsou did a rich and detailed Sleeping Beauty pdd and then a showstopping contemporary piece that was reminiscent of Balanchine and Pilobolus, with lots of complex and surprising partnering, beautiful lines, and athleticism.

Tonight I will remember to bring a pen so that I can record my impressions in real time more fully.

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Finalists for Round III have been announced:

http://www.usaibc.com/wordpress/wp-content...oundIIIMass.pdf

However, I am a bit miffed that the highly-decorated Zherlin Ndudi of Ukraine did not progress past Round I. Yikes! What happened?

Well I guess there are no guarantees; I remember the shock when Vladimir Malakhov, who had won a gold medal in (Moscow?) in 1989 won a bronze in Jackson in 1990.

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A few notes from last night, the first night of the final round.

.....

Thanks, koshka. So sorry to read about Washington Ballet's non-competing partner, Krizsa. He was a stand-out in the just-completed season. I hope that he'll be fine soon, although these sorts of injuries take time to heal.

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According to the local paper, Onuki will complete her program Thursday night. I had really enjoyed their performances and am glad she will get this opportunity. Best wishes to Krizsa in his recovery.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20100...+suffers+injury

The IBC International Jury extended Onuki some options to continue competing, Lott said. She will finish her program in Round III, Session 3 Thursday night.

Koshka hit the points of last evening that were at the top of my list. I have a few other notes I'll come back with later when I'm not on deadline! I wouldn't be surprised to see Oleynik with a medal.

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