Ballet International News

On Mandela Day 18 July 2020, the 7th South African Ballet International Ballet Competition (SAIBC) came to a close with a spectacular Gala featuring dancers from across the globe and presented virtually through an app in a ground breaking move hailed as a world first. The finale event paid tribute to the dancer, creative and LGBTQI+ activist Kirvan Fortuin who was tragically murdered in Cape Town last month.

The biennial South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC), presented virtually in light of challenges faced by COVID19, has attracted its largest competitor enrolment since inception in 2008, with 155 dancers representing 28 countries.

The South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC) is pivoting! The highly anticipated event that was scheduled to take place at the Artscape Opera House from 13 to 18 July 2020 has taken a leap into the online space and will now be held virtually.

Symphony Space decided to close until April 1st, which causes the cancellation of the 2020 Kozlova International Ballet Competition. The theater is already booked for March 15-19, 2021, and the celebrations will take place then - bigger and better! - just one year later.

This year's KOZLOVA INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION includes two special events:

The year 2020 celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition and the 40th anniversary of Kozlova's defection, with Leonid Kozlov, from the Soviet Union (the couple were principal dancers with the Bolshoi Ballet and defected when the Company performed in Los Angeles).

The 7th South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC), funded by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), will once again take place at the Artscape Opera House, the Mother City's premier venue for the Performing Arts, from 13 to 19 July 2020.

In the Toronto International Ballet Theatre and Bolshoi Ballet's (TIBT) production of THE NUTCRACKER, choreographer and artistic director Tatiana Stepanova takes a traditional approach to the beloved story that proves it doesn't need a modern-day refresh to appeal to a modern audience. From the glittering, gorgeous costumes (Shannon Khan) to lighting (Simon Rossiter, also credited with production management) that utilizes unique elements to stunning success, added to the dance components, this is a Nutcracker that embraces its history, and in turn, is a lovely holiday-themed production.

Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), alongside Queensland's Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch and Minister for Tourism Industry Development Kate Jones today announced one of the world's most historically renowned ballet companies, Paris Opera Ballet, will perform exclusively for the 2020 QPAC International Series from 1 to 19 July.

Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham is celebrating international recognition for its Performance Enhancement Coach, Nico Kolokythas, who received the esteemed Dance Educator Award 2019 at the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) conference in Canada, acknowledging his work and research in the field of dance science and education.

THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BALLET THEATRE (TIBT) and stars of BOLSHOI BALLET present the triumphant return of THE NUTCRACKER. This unforgettable classic will feature internationally renowned Russian ballerina's Anastasia Stashkevich and Vyacheslav Lopatin, principal dancers in Moscow's Bolshoi Ballet, along with many of Toronto's most promising emerging dancers. THE NUTCRACKER will be presented at Meridian Hall (Formerly Sony Centre for the Performing Arts) on December 14, 2019 for two shows only, 2pm and 7pm.

INALA, the critically acclaimed South African Dance-Musical sensation, will celebrate World Ballet Day on Wednesday 23 October with a concert spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall, bringing together the South African choral legends, Soweto Gospel Choir with multi-award-winning choreographer Mark Baldwin OBE in this unique artistic collaboration. A celebration of South Africa today, INALA delivers all it promises; an uplifting cultural experience, powered by an explosion of live music, song and dance.

The board of trustees of Festival Ballet Providence (FBP) is pleased to announce that Alan Weiss of East Greenwich has been elected as its new president.  The unanimous vote took place at a meeting on August 1, 2019. Festival Ballet's board is the governing body for New England's second largest professional ballet company with a resident company of 30 dancers, a pre-professional school with more than 300 enrolled students, and extensive educational and community initiatives reaching more than 13,000 youth annually, making it one of the leading arts organizations in the region.

Cape Town City Ballet's wonderful Autumn/Winter Season continues with popular favourite SLEEPING BEAUTY. It will be performed at the Artscape Opera House from 17 to 31 August.

The Saturday Night Centennial Gala, as part of the company's annual fundraising event, will present ballet luminaries and special guest stars: Lauren Fadeley Veyette, Principal Artist with Miami City Ballet; Westside alumnus Andrew Veyette, Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet; international guest star & alumna Joy Womack; Joffrey Ballet's Principal Dancer, Dylan Gutierrez, who will be dancing with Westside Ballet alumna Lucia Connolly, also with Joffrey Ballet; and Westside Ballet welcomes guest artist Zachary Guthier, 

Alonzo King LINES Ballet is pleased to announce that choreographer Alonzo King will receive an honorary doctorate from Juilliard during the school's 114th commencement ceremony, which takes place Friday, May 24, 2019, at 11am in Alice Tully Hall in New York City and will be live-streamed at juilliard.edu/live. Actress Rita Moreno and composer Kaija Saariaho will receive honorary doctorates as well.

Announcing the medalists and recipients of scholarships and company contracts of the 9th Annual Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition, which includes both classical and contemporary dance. Classical entrants selected their dances from a list created by VKIBC, including variations and pas de deux from Swan Lake, Flames of Paris, La Bayadere, Talisman, Walpurgis Nacht, Laurencia, and many more.

Alonzo King LINES Ballet and Grace Cathedral are pleased to announce that internationally celebrated choreographer Alonzo King will be the Artist in Residence at Grace Cathedral in 2019.   

Full casting is announced for the West End Premiere of INALA - A Zulu Ballet - at the Peacock Theatre in London, from 30 April to 18 May 2019.

Dutch National Ballet is organising its second international ballet conference, Positioning Ballet. Following the first successful conference in 2017, international leaders of the ballet world will once again come together in Amsterdam to debate and reflect on topical themes.