Kozlova International Ballet Competition Set to Return for 15th Edition

Valentina Kozlova will present the 15th edition of the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition, with entrants from around the world, dancing for scholarships and company contracts before a jury of international dance figures, March 17-21.  VKIBC continues to include two additional categories - contemporary and free-style dance.

Rounds will be held March 17&18; Finals March 19; (all at NYLA, all starting at 1PM).

Gala Performance and announcement of winners March 21, starting with the performance at 7 PM at the Kaye Playhouse, 68th Street & Lexington.                                                             

Additional event will take place Friday March 20 at NYLA: a coaching session for the dancers directed by Valentina Kozlova.   Dance writers are cordially invited to this event.  Start time t.b.d.

Dancers in 2026 hail from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, South Korea, and the U.S.A.

Open to dancers from ages 11 to 26, VKIBC is divided into categories of Youth (11-12 years); Student (13-14 years); Junior (15-17 years); Seniors (18-26).  Entrants in the contemporary and free-style categories bring their own original dances; entrants in the classical category choose their dances from the list submitted by VKIBC. 

Repertory includes solos from the classics—Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere and others, along with solos from Graduation Ball, Laurencia, Satanella, Ocean and Pearls (Petipa/Drigo), Fountain of Bakhchisarai (Zakharov/Asafiev), La Vivandiere (Saint Leon/Pugni), Fairy Doll (Legat/Drigo) and more.  The suggested pas de deux (for Junior and Senior entrants only) includes Cavalry Pas de Deux and Wedding Pas de Deux from Coppelia.

2026 JURY - CLASSICAL

Nina Ananiashvili (Republic of Georgia) 

International Prima Ballerina and Director of State Ballet of Georgia

President of both Classical and Contemporary Juries 

Amy Brandt (USA)

Editor, Pointe Magazine 

Stacey Calvert (USA)

former soloist, New York City Ballet

Chan Hon Goh (Canada)

Director, Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver

Blanca Huertas (Puerto Rico) 

Director, Ballet Hispanico School

Diane Hakak (USA)

Founder/Director, New Elite Ballet Academy

Ryan Jolicoeur Nye (USA)

Artistic Director, Oklahoma City Ballet

Roy Kaiser (USA)

Artistic Director, Nevada Ballet Theatre

Alexander Kedrov (USA)

former Bolshoi Ballet soloist

Mikko Nissinen (USA)

Artistic Director, Boston Ballet

and Honorary Chairman of VKIBC

Melanie Person (USA)

co-director, Ailey Dance School

Ricardo Scheir (Brazil) 

Director, Pavilhao D Centro de Artes, Sao Paolo

Sergei Soloviev (France)

Master Teacher, Conservatoire National Superieur et de Danse de Paris

2025 JURY - CONTEMPORARY

Amy Brandt (USA)

Editor, Pointe Magazine 

Nina Buisson (France)

Freelance choreographer

Diane Hakak (USA)

Founder/director, New Elite Ballet Academy

Mi Sook Jeon (Japan)

International choreographer and teacher

Andrei Jouravlev (USA)

Faculty member, Joffrey Ballet trainee program, NYC

Alexander Kedrov (Bulgaria)

former Bolshoi Ballet soloist

Steven Melendez (USA)

Former Artistic Director, New York Theatre Ballet  

Melanie Person (USA)

Co-Director, Ailey Dance School

Margo Sappington (USA)

Freelance choreographer, faculty Joffrey School, NYC

Ricardo Scheir (Brazil)

Director, Pavilhao D Centro de Artes, Sao Paolo

For more complete bios, and more information about VKIBC, please visit www.vkibc.org