The Clarion
Sherry Lucas, The Clarion-Ledger Sherry Lucas
From the field of 91 competitors, 54 are moving on to the Round II's contemporary ballet
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The Clarion-Ledger
More than half the dancers in the 2014 USA International Ballet Competition advanced to the Round II semi-finals in Jackson, in what ballet circles generally agree is the world's top competition.

From the field of 91 competitors, 54 are moving on to the Round II's contemporary ballet, Friday through Sunday at Thalia Mara Hall.

Dancers are divided into junior (ages 15-18) and senior (ages 19-26) divisions. The breakdown of semi-finalists: 14 senior females; 18 senior males; 14 junior females; 7 junior males.

Japan has the highest number of dancers moving forward, with 11; USA's 10 and the Republic of Korea's nine are close behind. Brazil is next in line with seven, and China has four. Dancers representing Australia, Mongolia, Russia, Cuba, Chile, Portugal, Mexico and South Africa are also advancing in "what has truly been an international competition," IBC jury co-chair John Meehan of Australia said.

Among the semi-finalists are such crowd favorites as: seniors Kaori Fukui and Jun Tanabe of Japan, whose "Don Quixote" wrapped up Tuesday night with a bow; junior Brazilian charmers Yasmin Lomondo and Gustavo Carvalho; Russian senior Irina Sapozhnikova, who fanned sparks with noncompeting (and highly gold medaled, including here) partner Joseph Phillips; and seniors Sirui Liu (China) and Rodrigo Almares (Cuba), whose precision and playful interaction won the crowd.

A restructured Round II this year requires competitors to choose one solo or pas de deux from a contemporary repertoire. Top-notch choreographers Trey McIntyre and Matthew Neenan contributed several works to the 2014 competition. Dancers learned their choice before arrival. Neenan and a member of the Trey McIntyre Project is on hand to work with dancers.

A few longtime IBC watchers fear they'll miss the wild-card thrill of previous Round IIs, and are apprehensive about repetition of works, albeit by different dancers, they'll see in the semi-finals.

IBC jurors are positive about the change. Contemporary ballet in competition can be tricky from both judging and competitor selection perspectives, Meehan said. "Occasionally, the dancer will choose repertoire that is impossible to judge, or very difficult to judge.

"I think this is going to be better for both the competitors — they're going to be less at sea, finding their choice — and for us, too, because it levels the playing field a little."

Canadian judge Andre Lewis said, "You're comparing apples to apples."

Former IBC medalists Brooklyn Mack and Jeffrey Cirio also endorsed the move. Judges will know how the piece should be danced, Cirio said. Mack said it also helps bridge gaps between the varying resources and economic backgrounds of the dancers.

Eliminated dancers have another chance to be seen in performance, in Sunday's Edward Stierle Contemporary Showcase.

USA IBC Round II competitors

Senior Males:

Aaron Smyth (Australia)

Andile Ndlovu (South Africa)

Byul Yun (Republic of Korea)

Dae Han Na (Republic of Korea)

Gantsooj Otgonbyamba (Mongolia)

Ilya Artamonov (Russia)

Ivan Duarte (Brazil)

Jeong Hansol (Republic of Korea)

Ji Seok Ha (Republic of Korea)

Jun Tanabe (Japan)

Kota Fujishima (Japan)

Mengjun Chen (Peoples Republic of China)

Mozart Mizuyama (Brazil)

Nayon Rangel Iovino (Brazil)

Rodrigo Almarales (Cuba)

Sebastian Vinet (Chile)

Steven Loch (USA)

Telmo Moreira (Portugal)

Senior Females:

Arianni Martin (Cuba)

Ga-Yeon Jung (Republic of Korea)

Heewon Cho (Republic of Korea)

Hitomi Nakamura (Japan)

Irina Sapozhnikova (Russia)

Jessica Assef (Brazil)

Kaori Fukui (Japan)

Melissa Gelfin (USA)

Olga Marchenkova (Russia)

Shiori Kase (Japan)

Sirui Liu (Peoples Republic of China)

Tamako Miyazaki (Japan)

Ye Lim Choi (Republic of Korea)

Yui Sugawara (Japan)

Junior Males:

Aran Bell (USA)

Blake Kessler (USA)

Daniel Alejandro McCormick-Quintero (Mexico)

Gustavo Carvalho (Brazil)

Jinsol Eum (Republic of Korea)

Taiyu He (Peoples Republic of China)

Yue Shi (Peoples Republic of China)

Junior Females:

Ami Naito (Japan)

Gabrielle Chock (USA)

Gisele Bethea (USA)

Katherine Barkman (USA)

Mackenzie Richter (USA)

Mizuho Nagata (Japan)

Olivia Gusti (USA)

Paula Alves (Brazil)

Paulina Guraieb Abella (Mexico)

Rieko Hatato (Japan)

Romina Contreras (Chile)

So Jung Lee (Republic of Korea)

Victoria Wong (USA)

Yasmin Lomondo (Brazil)

Yoshiko Kamikusa (Japan)

Contact Sherry Lucas at slucas@jackson.gannett.com or (601) 961-7283. Follow @SherryLucas1 on Twitter.

USA IBC schedule

• Today through Sunday: Round II competition, 7:30 p.m. daily, $20-$28

• Also Sunday: Edward Stierle Contemporary Showcase, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center, $10 per session or $15 for both, online or at the door

• Tuesday through June 26: Round III competition, 7:30 p.m. daily

• June 28: awards gala, 7 p.m., $30-$55

• June 29: encore gala, $30-$55

All performances are at Thalia Mara Hall except Edward Stierle Contemporary Showcase. Ticket availability remains for all performances, with increasingly limited selection toward the end of competition. Visit usaibc.com or the Thalia Mara Hall box office, or call (601) 973-9249.

USA IBC Round II competitors

Senior Males:

Aaron Smyth (Australia)

Andile Ndlovu (South Africa)

Byul Yun (Republic of Korea)

Dae Han Na (Republic of Korea)

Gantsooj Otgonbyamba (Mongolia)

Ilya Artamonov (Russia)

Ivan Duarte (Brazil)

Jeong Hansol (Republic of Korea)

Ji Seok Ha (Republic of Korea)

Jun Tanabe (Japan)

Kota Fujishima (Japan)

Mengjun Chen (Peoples Republic of China)

Mozart Mizuyama (Brazil)

Nayon Rangel Iovino (Brazil)

Rodrigo Almarales (Cuba)

Sebastian Vinet (Chile)

Steven Loch (USA)

Telmo Moreira (Portugal)

Senior Females:

Arianni Martin (Cuba)

Ga-Yeon Jung (Republic of Korea)

Heewon Cho (Republic of Korea)

Hitomi Nakamura (Japan)

Irina Sapozhnikova (Russia)

Jessica Assef (Brazil)

Kaori Fukui (Japan)

Melissa Gelfin (USA)

Olga Marchenkova (Russia)

Shiori Kase (Japan)

Sirui Liu (Peoples Republic of China)

Tamako Miyazaki (Japan)

Ye Lim Choi (Republic of Korea)

Yui Sugawara (Japan)

Junior Males:

Aran Bell (USA)

Blake Kessler (USA)

Daniel Alejandro McCormick-Quintero (Mexico)

Gustavo Carvalho (Brazil)

Jinsol Eum (Republic of Korea)

Taiyu He (Peoples Republic of China)

Yue Shi (Peoples Republic of China)

Junior Females:

Ami Naito (Japan)

Gabrielle Chock (USA)

Gisele Bethea (USA)

Katherine Barkman (USA)

Mackenzie Richter (USA)

Mizuho Nagata (Japan)

Olivia Gusti (USA)

Paula Alves (Brazil)

Paulina Guraieb Abella (Mexico)

Rieko Hatato (Japan)

Romina Contreras (Chile)

So Jung Lee (Republic of Korea)

Victoria Wong (USA)

Yasmin Lomondo (Brazil)

Yoshiko Kamikusa (Japan)