Varna 2008

[bingham]

The 2008 Varna ballet competition has started this week. Anyone knows of American contestants in the competition? Natalia?

[its the mom]

My son was with Brooklyn Mack this past weekend in Jackson. Brooklyn was leaving Jackson and headed for Varna. Anxious to hear news.

[mom2]

Thank you for starting this thread. I realized the other day that the competition was this week, there didn't seem to be anything on the Varna IBC website - hopefully we'll hear some news shortly!

m2

[liebs]

I know another young man, Douglas Home, from Studio Maestro who is also competing. I believe he is being coached by Johann Renvall.

[artspatron07]

The 2008 Varna ballet competition has started this week. Anyone knows of American contestants in the competition? Natalia?

I believe Shea Johnson is also competing. He is a member of Metropolitan Classical Ballet in Arlington, Texas.

[drb]

Tarasina Masi, 19, from USA Ballet Academy, Bloomington, Minn.

From the Varna site:

PROGRAM:

July 15th Opening ceremony

Beginning of the First Round

July, 15th,

16th, 17th,

18th and 19th First Round

Classical choreography from the obligatory programme

July 20th Meeting with the art of famous names of the Competition

Annotations and films

July 21st, 22nd,

23rd and 24th Second Round

Classical and contemporary choreography

July 25th Super - gala concert of former laureates

July 26th

and 27th Third Round

Contemporary and classical choreography

July 28th International symposium

July 29th Awarding of prizes, Gala concert of laureates and closing

of the Competition

July 30th Super Gala Concert „Meeting of Generations“ with the participation

also of laureates of previous issues of the Competition

[dancersteven]

Varna is infamously umwilling to post any up to date results on their website, so we hope that someone in the know will post here as soon as anything is official?

Thanks all

Steven

[dance_notations]

Whitney Jensen is competing...from Valentina Kozlova's DCNY. Good luck to all who is competing!

[Daniil]

Dancers in the finals (3rd round):

Juniors

Telmo Higino Gomes Moreira, Portugal

Whitney Jensen, USA

Xiao Dong Ma, China

Osiel Vladimir Gouneu Martinez, Cuba

Youn Sik Kim, Korea

Fumi kaneko, Japan

Dmitrij Zagrebin, Russia

Eun Won Lee, Korea

Seniors

Doszhan Tabyldy, Kazakhstan

Yi Huang, China

Sang Eun Lee, Korea

Jeon Il Yoon, Korea

Yudai Fukuoka, Japan

Christina Terentiev, Moldova

Seo Hye Han, Korea

Yu Zheng, China

Rodrigo Almarales Gonzales, Cuba

Jialing Shi, China

Junlong Huang, China

Na Eun Kim, Korea

The finals are taking place on July 26 and 27. Good luck to everyone.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Arriba Osiel and Rodrigo!!!

[chezdancer]

Daniil,

Thanks for posting the list of the finalists. Would you (or anyone) happen to know who the judges are this year?

[cubanmiamiboy]

Some interesting information on the competition:

COMPETITION PROGRAMME FIRST ROUND

- Classical choreographyCompetitors perform, at their own choice, one pas de deux (adagio, variation andcoda) or two variations from the obligatory repertoire listed below:

ADAM"Giselle" - Variation of Giselle, Act IChor. Petipa, music Minkus- Pas de deux, Act IChor. Perrot,Coralli, Petipa- Entree and variation of Myrtha, Act IIChor. Perrot, Coralli, Petipa- Grand pas de deux of Giselle and Albert, Act IIChor. Perrot, Coralli, Petipa

DRIGO- "Le Corsaire" - Pas de deux of Medora and the Slave, Act IChor. Petipa, - Pas de deux of the Slave Girl and the Merchant, Act II,Chor. Petipa

ARMSHEIMER"The Cavalry Camp" - Pas de deux of Maria and PeterChor. Petipa

ASSAFYEV"The Flames of Paris" - Pas de deux, Chor. Vainonen

GLAZOUNOV"Raymonda" - Grand pas de deux of Raymonda and deBrienne, Act III, Chor. Petipa

DELIBES"Coppelia" - Pas de deux of Swanilda and Franz, Act IIChor. Saint -Leon, Petipa

DRIGO"Esmeralda" - Pas de deux of Diana and ActeonChor. Vaganova

LOEVENSKJOLD "La Sylphide" (Sylphiden) - Variations from the pas de deuxChor. Bournonville

MINKUS"La Bayadere" - Pas de deux of Nikia and Solor, Act IIChor. Petipa- Three variations of the Shades, Act III Chor. Petipa (each variationis a separate entry)

MINKUS"Don Quixote" - Grand pas de deux of Quitry and Basil, Act IV, Chor. Petipa, Gorsky- Variation of Quitry, Act I, Chor. Petipa- Variation of the Mistress of the Driads, Chor. Petipa

"Paquita" - Variations from the pas de trois, Chor. Petipa- Variations from the Grand pas, Chor. Petipa (each variation to be performed as an independent one)

AUBER"Classical Pas de Deux", Chor. V. Gsovsky PAULLI"Napoli" - Variations, Chor. Bournonville

"The Kermis in Bruges" - Pas de deux, Chor. Bournonville

PUGNI"Satanila" - Pas de deux, Chor. Petipa

HELSTED"Festival of the Flowers in Genzano" - Pas de deuxChor. BournonvilleHERTEL"La Fille mal gardee" - Pas de deux of Lisa and Colin,Act II, Chor. Petipa, Gorsky

TCHAIKOVSKY"Swan Lake" - Adagio of Odette and Siegfried and variationof Odette, Act II (only ballerinas can compete), Chor. Lev Ivanov- Variation from pas de trois, Act I, Chor. Petipa- Pas de deux of Odile and Siegfried,Act III, Chor. Petipa

"The Sleeping Beauty" - Variation of Lilac Fairy, Act I, Chor. Petipa and Lopukhov- Variation of Aurora, Act I, Chor. Petipa- Variation of Prince Charming (Desire), Act II,- Chor. Petipa- Variation of Lilac Fairy, Act III, Chor.Petipa-Lopukhov- Pas de deux of Florina and the Blue Bird, Act III,- Chor. Petipa- Pas de deux of Aurora and Desire, Act III,- Chor. Petipa, Sergeev

"The Nutcracker" - Pas de deux of Sugar Plum Fairy and the Prince, Act II, Chor. Vainonen

Note: They use the Vainonen version of the Nutcracker...

[Amy Reusch]

So many Koreans... 6 out of 20... 5 Chinese, but then it's a bigger country...

What gives? Is it because it's a competition and this resonates in Korea or is there a big ballet movement going on there?

[neharbour1]

So many Koreans... 6 out of 20... 5 Chinese, but then it's a bigger country...

What gives? Is it because it's a competition and this resonates in Korea or is there a big ballet movement going on there?

They are all from Korea National University of the Arts. KNUA is a famous arts university, of which, one of the intense focus areas is ballet. They have an elementary program for ages 9-19 that uses the same campus and some of the faculty. The dance program is located within the Seoul Arts Center campus. If you look at the winners of Prix de Lausanne, IBC NY and Jackson, Varna and Premio Roma, you will find they are from KNUA. Some of the excellent participants from KNUA this year at Varna, are not on the finals list. Hae Shik Kim, recently retired, was the Director of the ballet school and is well known in the ballet community. Sun hee Kim, the present Director also has an excellent reputation and is a gifted choreographer. KNUA graduates are in ballet companies all over the world.

[drb]

From the official announcement (in Bulgarian):

http://www.vlastta.com/nivo1.php?id1=&...i&sluchai=1

With the help of Google Bulgarian translator (please forgive spelling):

Group A (Senior):

Women:

Gold: Kristina Terentiev, Moldavia

*Silver: Seo Hie Han, Korea

Bronz: Sang Eun Lee, Korea

Men:

Gold: Yue Zhang, China

Silver: Yi Huang, China

Bronz: Yuday Fukuoka, Japan and Rodrigo Almerales Gonzales, Cuba

Group B (Junior):

Special Prix (I think this might be what Ivan Vasiliev won in 2006, but not sure): Whitney Jensen, USA

Women:

Gold: Fumi Kaneko, Japan

Silver: none

*Bronz: Eun Wong Lee, Korea

Men:

Gold: none

Silver: Osiel Gouneo Martinez, Cuba

Bronz: Xiao Dong Ma, China and Dimitry Zagrebin, Russia

*these were especially challenging to translate, so... the best I could do.

Numerous other awards were given.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Bravo for los cubanitos ! (I knew they had to take some metal home.. , so Silver Junior for Osiel and Bronze Senior for Rodrigo)

Not bad at all...

[drb]

Going to Varna's site list for 2006 winners:

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

This is exactly the full translation of Whitney Jensen's award this year. I find it amazing that this has not been seen as "news" (at least as findable via Google news search) in America! She is from Valentina Kozlova's school in New York City. Congratulations to her! And I hope she'll eventually get some extremely deserved publicity in her own country, or city (wake up, New York Times).

[bingham]

Going to Varna's site list for 2006 winners:

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

This is exactly the full translation of Whitney Jensen's award this year. I find it amazing that this has not been seen as "news" (at least as findable via Google news search) in America! She is from Valentina Kozlova's school in New York City. Congratulations to her! And I hope she'll eventually get some extremely deserved publicity in her own country, or city (wake up, New York Times).

In addition to the above-mentioned award, she was also awarded a"bronze statuette for her performance in the classical repertoire".

[drb]

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.

[drb]

Here are photos of the Awards Ceremony:

http://sportnitanci.com/webga/thumbnails-1903-page-4.html

I do not know Ms. Jensen personally, nor have I seen her dance, but the blonde in the blue tutu receiving a trophy from Vladimir Vasiliev looks extremely like prior photos of Ms. Jensen (and I believe she was the only blonde winner). The same dancer appears on clickable sets (as numbered at page bottom) 8, 10 (bearing the torch and setting the eternal flame), and 11.

Can anyone confirm her identity? The site tends not to ID subjects.

At the top of the page one may connect to other photos from the competition.

Varna IBC may be terrible at communication, but they sure know how to cap off an event!

[bingham]

Here are photos of the Awards Ceremony:

http://sportnitanci.com/webga/thumbnails-1903-page-4.html

I do not know Ms. Jensen personally, nor have I seen her dance, but the blonde in the blue tutu receiving a trophy from Vladimir Vasiliev looks extremely like prior photos of Ms. Jensen (and I believe she was the only blonde winner). The same dancer appears on clickable sets (as numbered at page bottom) 8, 10 (bearing the torch and setting the eternal flame), and 11.

Can anyone confirm her identity? The site tends not to ID subjects.

At the top of the page one may connect to other photos from the competition.

Varna IBC may be terrible at communication, but they sure know how to cap off an event!

I have not seen her either ,except in videos in you-know-where-site, but that blonde seems to be her. She looks very tall.I hope this won't be a problem in the ballet company that she will eventually join.

[Solnishka79]

Here are photos of the Awards Ceremony:

http://sportnitanci.com/webga/thumbnails-1903-page-4.html

I do not know Ms. Jensen personally, nor have I seen her dance, but the blonde in the blue tutu receiving a trophy from Vladimir Vasiliev looks extremely like prior photos of Ms. Jensen (and I believe she was the only blonde winner). The same dancer appears on clickable sets (as numbered at page bottom) 8, 10 (bearing the torch and setting the eternal flame), and 11.

Can anyone confirm her identity? The site tends not to ID subjects.

At the top of the page one may connect to other photos from the competition.

Varna IBC may be terrible at communication, but they sure know how to cap off an event!

I have not seen her either ,except in videos in you-know-where-site, but that blonde seems to be her. She looks very tall.I hope this won't be a problem in the ballet company that she will eventually join.

Yes, that's Whitney Jensen. I believe the dancer in the next set of photos is Cristina Terentieva.

[toasteroven]

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!

[drb]

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).

[carbro]

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.