toasteroven

Thanks, toasteroven, but the "www." didn't fix it for me. Even with Internet Explorer. It just took a few seconds longer to close IE.

Welcome to Ballet Talk.

Thank you, glad to be here! I saw that Helene got to the website and said that Mme Kozlova is "quite glam." That's true! Very nice pic/headshot of her on the home page and she looked pretty chic in the Awards page picture also. She was always a very beautiful and striking lady, whenever I saw her dancing in past years. A lot of presence and charisma.

WARNING: I tried to open the website of Ms. Kozlova's school, http://vkdcny.com , and it caused two of my browsers to malfunction. Thunderbird closed twice and AOL froze twice.

If others have had better luck opening the website, please let us know.

The actual address is http://www.vkdcny.com. I don't know if the omission of www makes any difference? I just saw that you didn't have the www, maybe that has something to do with it. I took note of the address in the address bar when I went a second time since I saw your post about the freezing.

The highest of all awards (Grand Prix) has been awarded just twice. At the Senior level to Vladimir Vasiliev at the first Varna competition and then at the Junior level to Ivan Vasiliev (no relation) at 22nd (the one before the current competition). However Ms. Jensen's award is still very special, above a Junior Gold, and her significance was made very obvious at the Awards Ceremony (see photos above).

Varna is notorious for its lack of information. But in addition to their official site (in Bulgarian, so with help of translator), reports in the Bulgarian press as well as from France and Russia (of course nothing in her own country's media) that I have read all agree.

Added for (hopefully) clarification at 12:39 AM: The history of the Varna IBC is covered in great detail in "Varna Ballet Olympiad" by John Gregory, even acknowledged on the competition's site. This book covers the years 1964-1980. Terminology seems to have varied during that time, as well as since. They have always considered Juniors and Seniors separately. At the Senior level there have always been Gold, Silver, and Bronz awards. But early on a high percentage of competitors received medals: at the first 5 Gold, 9 Silver, 7 Bronz (plus Mr. Vasiliev's "Grand Prix and Gold"). Over time this dilution has faded away. At the Junior level technically (although we in the west have identified these in terms of metal as well) the corresponding awards have been First, Second, and Third Class Distinctions. At least through the years covered by the book no Junior had received "Special Distinction", the still higher award given to Ivan Vasiliev in 2006 and to Whitney Jensen in 2008 (I do not know about the other years since 1980). In current Varna terminology "Laureate of (number) IBC" appears to be their term for Grand Prix, and two years ago it was reported that Ivan Vasiliev was the first ever to win this at the Junior level (and even their current site says Vladimir Vasiliev is still the only such winner at the Senior level).

Golly, that is as good as a ballet history lesson. Thank you! Will go to the Dance Library to look up that book next time I can visit NYC. Much thanks again.

WARNING: I tried to open the website of Ms. Kozlova's school, http://vkdcny.com , and it caused two of my browsers to malfunction. Thunderbird closed twice and AOL froze twice.

If others have had better luck opening the website, please let us know.

I went again to see if it still opened or made me freeze and it worked. I used internet explorer, which is pretty much what I use for everything. If you google her school or Mme Kozlova herself, that link comes up as the school website.

I'm a bit confused. In another site, it says that there was NO GRAND PRIX for JUNIORS (as well as seniors) this year.

Does the SPECIAL Prix/Distinction stand in between the Junior GRAND PRIX and the Junior Woman's GOLD MEDAL (received by Fumi Kaneko)?

(That is, in terms of points achieved, highest is Grand Prix, 2nd is Special Prix, and 3rd is Gold?)

The prize won by Ms. Jensen stands above Junior Gold. From Varna site, it is the same Special Distinction won by Mr. Vasiliev at Varna two years ago. Not only is Varna's wording the same for the two dancers, but major forums in France and in Russia are announcing it as such for Ms. Jensen.

So both won Special Distinction. However,looking back to 2006 results at Varna's site you are right in that in full 2006:

The title "22ndt INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION - VARNA 2006 LAUREATE" shall be awarded, as well as the following distinctions:

"SPECIAL DISTINCTION - VARNA 2006" - Diploma and Medal - IVAN VASILEV - BELARUS

But for Ms. Jensen Google translator gives:

In II-ra group B - Minor age again was not served prizat "Laureate of the XXIII International Ballet Competition - Varna 2008"

Special honors - Varna 2008 - diploma and a medal in devoykite Witney Jenson received from the United States.

Hi! Love reading the board, always so much fabulous info. Just wondering in reference to the above: I have seen that just today, it was announced on the Kozlova school website that Whitney Jensen was awarded the Grand Prix. It can be found at www.vkdcny.com. According to the posts here on Ballet Talk, Ms. Jensen did not receive the grand prix, but according to the vkdcny website she did. I got confused again. If I read the list of awards, I would take it to mean that she received the lower award of Special Prix and that the Laureate/Grand Prix was not actually awarded to anyone. But perhaps I am just confused or didn't understand right. They have announced it in two separate places on their website: on the banner running across the top and on the link for Awards and Honors. Maybe someone over here can clear this up!