Brenda Trigg, Author at International Ballet Competition
Brenda Trigg
International Ballet Competition
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Nina Ananiashvili, State Ballet of Georgia deliver Grand Prix performance

Each time Nina Ananiashvili has appeared on the stage of Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, Mississippi, she has been warmly welcomed by the ballet audience.

Her first appearance was as a 23-year-old dancer participating in the 1986 USA International Ballet Competition. With her partner, Andris Liepa, she made history by being the first dancers from the former Soviet Union to compete in America. She and Andris also were the first winners of the Jackson competition’s highest award, the City of Jackson Grand Prix.

Ananiashvili’s second appearance on the Thalia Mara Hall stage was as a juror, representing her home nation of Georgia, in the 2014 USA IBC. Many in the audience had seen her dance in 1986; others knew her renown as a prima ballerina of both the Bolshoi Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.

On July 16, 2016, Nina Ananiashvili returned as prima ballerina and artistic director of the State Ballet of Georgia.To express her appreciation to Jackson, the USA IBC and its chairman emeritus, William D. Mounger, she made a special addition to the evening’s program. She dedicated her illustrious performance of The Dying Swan to Mounger, who was among the group of Jacksonians who first saw her dance at the 1985 Moscow IBC. Her performance of Marguerite in Marguerite and Armand also was an exquisite vehicle for her strength, grace and emotional depth three decades following her participation in USA IBC III.

The State Ballet of Georgia delighted with Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco and Yuri Possokhov’s Sagalobeli. The last piece was followed by a rousing encore that featured Ananiashvili in traditional and manly Georgian attire, proudly displaying her homeland’s flag.

Just as she and Andris had done in 1986, Nina and the State Ballet of Georgia gave a performance from heart and soul, and the Jackson-USA IBC audience will cherish the memory.

Photo by Richard Finkelstein.

‘The Art of Dance’ works on display through July 31, 2016

“The Art of Dance,” a show by the Community Art Group of VSA Mississippi, continues to be on display in the Mississippi Arts Center through July 31. Dance-inspired art, including several pieces painted from photographs of competitors in the 2014 USA International Ballet Competition, is featured. The exhibit is a collaborative effort of VSA, the State Organization on Arts and Disability, and the USA IBC. It opened in conjunction with the USA IBC’s 2016 Grand Prix Reunion Gala, presenting Nina Ananiashvili and the State Ballet of Georgia in performance. For more information, contact the USA IBC, 601-355-9853, ext. 3.

Announcing 2014 USA IBC Award Winners

Jackson, Miss., June 27, 2014 – Two weeks of intense, world-class competition culminated today with the announcement of 28 dancers selected as 2014 USA International Ballet Competition award winners.

Edward Villella, 2014 USA IBC International Jury Chairman, noted that the competition is a global celebration of dance and the “finest of the finest.” Winners are listed below by division or award.

2014 USA International Ballet Competition Medalists

Men’s Senior Gold Medalist –Jeong Hansol, Republic of Korea

Women’s Senior Gold Medalist –Shiori Kase, Japan

Men’s Senior Silver Medalist –Byul Yun, Republic of Korea

Women’s Senior Silver Medalist –Tamako Miyazaki, Japan; Irina Sapozhnikova, Russia;

Men’s Senior Bronze Medalist –Aaron Smyth, Australia; Ivan Duarte, Brazil

Women’s Senior Bronze Medalist –Ga-Yeon Jung, Republic of Korea

Junior Division:

Men’s Junior Gold Medalist –Taiyu He, Peoples Republic of China

Women’s Junior Gold Medalist –Gisele Bethea, USA

Men’s Junior Silver Medalist –Jinsol Eum, Republic of Korea

Women’s Junior Silver Medalist –Mackenzie Richter, USA

Men’s Junior Bronze Medalist –Gustavo Carvalho, Brazil

Women’s Junior Bronze Medalist –Yasmin Lomondo, Brazil; Paulina Guraieb Abella, Mexico

Special awards were bestowed to:

Best Junior Couple –Yasmin Lomondo and Gustavo Carvalho, Brazil

Best Senior Couple –Ga-Yeon Jung and Ji Seok Ha, Republic of Korea

Choreography Award –Nicholas Blanc for Aaron Smyth “Rendez-Vous”

Jury Award of Encouragement Male-Yue Shi, Peoples Republic of China

Jury Award of Encouragement Female-Romina Contreras, Chile

Robert Joffrey Award of Merit –Daniel Alejandro McCormick-Quintero, Mexico

Contract and scholarship offers were extended as follows:

The Joffrey Ballet, under the artistic direction of Ashley Wheater, offered:

Dae Han Na and Jeong Hansol, Republic of Korea, positions with the company for the 2015-2016 season

Taiyu He and Yue Shi, Peoples Republic of China; Matthew Griffin, USA; and Gustavo Carvalho, Brazil; full scholarships to the 2015 Summer Program with continuation into the Studio Company

Blake Kessler, USA, a full scholarship to the 2015 Summer Program with continuation into the Trainee Program.

In addition to the Joffrey Ballet award, Griffin was offered a Trainee position with Ballet Memphis for the 2014-2015 season, a one-season contract with Columbia City Ballet and a full tuition scholarship to the 2015 Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive.

Ballet West offered Anisa Sinteral-Scott, USA, a position with Ballet West II for the 2014-2015 season.

Houston Ballet offered Mackenzie Richter, USA, a position with its Second Company, Houston Ballet II, for the 2014-2015 season.

Katherine Barkman, USA, was offered a scholarship for the 2014-2015 school year by The School of the Hamburg Ballet, a one-season contract with Columbia City Ballet and the opportunity to compete in the 2015 Tanzolymp Competition in Berlin.

Texas Ballet Theater offered Paula Alves, Brazil, a Trainee contract for the 2014-2015 season.

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre offered Gisele Bethea a full scholarship and stipend for Fall 2014 and a Studio Company position in Spring 2015.

The South Mississippi Ballet Theatre offered Olga Marchenkova and Ilya Artamonov the opportunity to perform leading roles in its 2014-2015 season’s production of The Sleeping Beauty.

“Our international jury did a great job selecting winners for 2014,” said Sue Lobrano, USA IBC executive director. “With every USA IBC, we see an intense level of skill and artistry among dancers and this competition was no exception.”

Preparing for and competing in the USA IBC is highly valuable to young people seeking to make their mark in the dance world, Villella told the finalists at the beginning of the news conference in which winners were announced. “If you do not walk away with a medal you still walk away with the experience.”

USA International Ballet Competition receives Mississippi Arts Commission grant

(Jackson, Miss.) ­ USA International Ballet Competition (USA IBC) has been awarded a $22,500 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC). This grant is a portion of the $1.61 million in grants the Commission will award in 2015-2016 and will be used to help with operating expenses for the USA IBC, designated the official international ballet competition within the United States by Joint Resolution of the U.S. Congress.

“The creative economy has never been more vibrant than it is today in the communities across Mississippi,” stated Dr. Tom Pearson, Executive Director at MAC. “This agency is honored to play a small role in assisting these organizations to continue their work of reinforcing the value of the arts and the role they play in creative place making and economic development.”

The USA IBC’s two-week festival of dance has transformed Jackson into an international center of dance every four years since 1979. The 2014 event drew dancers from 20 nations and attracted ticket buyers from 39 states and 12 nations. The concurrent USA IBC Dance School drew 270 students from 25 states and three nations. Former medalists will return to Jackson in July 2016 for a Reunion Gala weekend performance and master class for advanced students. As one of the oldest, most respected competitions in the world, the 11th USA IBC will be held June 9-24, 2018. Throughout each school year, the USA IBC provides CityDance, a program of free ballet instruction for approximately 65 Jackson Public Schools students.

The Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, serves the residents of the state by providing grants that support programs to enhance communities; assist artists and arts organizations; promote the arts In Mississippi and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. Established in 1968, the Mississippi Arts Commission is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson and other private sources. The agency serves as an active supporter and promoter of arts in community life and in arts education.

For information from the Mississippi Arts Commission, contact Susan Liles, 601-359-6031, or sliles@arts.ms.gov.

About USA International Ballet Competition

The USA International Ballet Competition is presented under the auspices of the International Theatre Institute, International Dance Committee, of UNESCO and is the official international ballet competition for the United States, as designated by a Joint Resolution of the U. S. Congress. The competition and its founder, Thalia Mara, were named American Masterpieces by the National Endowment for the Arts through the Mississippi Arts Commission.

2014 USA INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION NAMES FINALISTS

Jackson, Miss., June 23, 2014 – With the conclusion of Round II of the 2014 USA International Ballet Competition, 31 of the world’s finest young dancers will compete in the final round for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Round III competitors are:

Senior Males

Aaron Smyth (Australia)

Andile Ndlovu (South Africa)

Byul Yun (Republic of Korea)

Ivan Duarte (Brazil)

Jeong Hansol (Republic of Korea)

Ji Seok Ha (Republic of Korea)

Kota Fujishima (Japan)

Mengjun Chen (Peoples Republic of China)

Rodrigo Almarales (Cuba)

Steven Loch (USA)

Senior Females

Arianni Martin (Cuba)

Ga-Yeon Jung (Republic of Korea)

Irina Sapozhnikova (Russia)

Melissa Gelfin (USA)

Shiori Kase (Japan)

Sirui Liu (Peoples Republic of China)

Tamako Miyazaki (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

Gisele Bethea (USA)

Mackenzie Richter (USA)

Mizuho Nagata (Japan)

Paulina Guraieb Abella (Mexico)

Romina Contreras (Chile)

So Jung Lee (Republic of Korea)

Yasmin Lomondo (Brazil)

“The USA IBC gives dancers the opportunity to test their skills against the highest international standards,” said Sue Lobrano, USA IBC executive director. “Advancing to the final stage of competition is an unforgettable experience as finalists realize the achievement of competing among the world’s best dancers.”

Round III is scheduled for June 24 – 27.

“It’s remarkable to see how the competition can be a stepping-stone for a dancer’s career,” said Lobrano. “Our audience is filled with artistic directors of dance companies interested in hiring new dancers, and for this reason, many leave with contracts. This is possibly the greatest prize of all.”

USA IBC medalists and award winners will be announced June 27 and honored at the Awards Gala on June 28.

The USA IBC is a two-week, “olympic-style” competition where tomorrow’s stars vie for gold, silver and bronze medals; cash awards; company contracts; and scholarships. The event is designated as the official international ballet competition in the United States by a Joint Resolution of Congress. Presented under the auspices of the International Dance Committee, International Theatre Institute of UNESCO, the USA IBC is held every four years in Jackson, Miss., in the tradition of sister competitions in Varna, Bulgaria, and Moscow, Russia.

For more information about USA IBC, visit www.usaibc.com or www.facebook.com/usaibc.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Please contact cbowman@godwin.com for photographs of finalists. Visit www.usaibc.com for gallery of all competitor photographs.

2014 USA International Ballet Competition Announces Semi-Finalists

Jackson, Miss., June 19, 2014 – The first round of the 2014 USA International Ballet Competition concludes with 54 competitors advancing to Round II. The USA IBC is the official international ballet competition in the United States as designated by a Joint Resolution of Congress.

Round II Competitors are:

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)

“The dancers competing in the 2014 USA IBC are presenting a high caliber of artistic performance and skill,” said Sue Lobrano, USA IBC executive director. “Anticipation is high moving into the Contemporary Round II.”

Round II is scheduled for June 20 – 22. The two-week competition concludes June 29.

The USA IBC is a two-week, “olympic-style” competition where tomorrow’s stars vie for gold, silver and bronze medals; cash awards; company contracts; and scholarships. The event is designated as the official international ballet competition in the United States by a Joint Resolution of Congress. Presented under the auspices of the International Dance Committee, International Theatre Institute of UNESCO, the USA IBC is held every four years in Jackson, Miss., in the tradition of sister competitions in Varna, Bulgaria, and Moscow, Russia. For more information about the USA IBC, visit www.usaibc.com or www.facebook.com/usaibc.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Please visit our Web site at www.usaibc.com to download

semi-finalist pictures.

99 Competitors from 20 Nations Accept Invitation to Compete

Ninety-nine dancers, representing 20 countries, have accepted the USA IBC’s invitation to participate in the 2014 competition, June 14-29, in Jackson, Miss. Held every four years since 1979, the USA IBC is the official ballet competition of the United States by a Joint Resolution of Congress.

“Dancers invited to compete in the USA IBC know they have a chance to test their skills against the highest international standards,” said Sue Lobrano, USA IBC executive director. “The level of artistry and technique that this group of competitors will bring to the USA IBC stage will certainly be thrilling to watch.”

In March, the USA IBC invited 109 applicants from 21 nations to compete. Ten of those invited have notified the USA IBC they will be unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts, opportunities, travel expense or injury. Of the 99 scheduled to attend, 57 are senior competitors (ages 19-26) and 42 are juniors (ages 15-18). The United States leads in the number of participants (31), followed by Japan (17) and Brazil (9).

“The USA IBC is synonymous with the discovery of new talents and the launching of careers,” Lobrano said. “We look forward to hosting these competitors as they experience the United States’ premiere ballet competition where they will vie for gold, silver and bronze medals, company contracts and scholarships.”

Serving on the 2014 Selection Committee were artistic directors Adam Sklute of Ballet West, Virginia Johnson of Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Magaly Suarez of The Art of Classical Ballet School. The three met in Jackson earlier in the year to review video submissions from applicants in 29 countries. Seven of those receiving invitations have notified USA IBC they will be unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts, travel expense or injury.

Ballet BackStory: Creating better understanding of classics

The comedy ballet Coppélia, now in rehearsal at Ballet Mississippi, is the focus of the first program in a new series the USA International Ballet Competition has launched to create more understanding and enjoyment of classical ballet.

Ballet BackStory: Coppélia set for noon Tuesday, March 24, at the Arts Center of Mississippi, 201 E. Pascagoula St., in downtown Jackson.

David Keary, artistic director of Ballet Mississippi, will share insights into the history, choreography, story and music of the comedy his company will perform April 26 at Thalia Mara Hall.

Gerrie McElroy, costume mistress for Ballet Mississippi, will preview the peasant dresses and romantic tutus she has styled for the dancers.

Naomi Wilson, a Ballet Mississippi dancer, will comment on performing the role of Swanilda in the April production.

Video of a pas de deux from Coppélia, performed by Yasmin Lomondo and Gustavo Carvalho of Brazil, both bronze medalists and the Best Junior Couple in the USA International Ballet Competition.

“Understanding the story of a ballet enriches the experience of seeing variations performed,” said Mona Nicholas, executive director of the USA IBC. “So much of the repertoire for the competitors in the USA IBC are variations from the major classical ballets that are staged around the world—Giselle, Coppélia, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and others. To help our community enjoy ballet more, and at the same time support Mississippi’s ballet companies in staging these classics, we are offering Ballet BackStory.”

Nicholas says that the Ballet BackStory series will serve as a bridge “from knowing nothing about ballet to appreciating the motivations, emotions and background experiences that influence each dancer’s movements and expressions on stage.”

The event is sponsored by the Friends of the USA IBC and includes lunch for $10. Please call 601-362-7125 or email btrigg@usaibc.com by March 23 to RSVP. Friends of the USA IBC serve as volunteers and assist with fundraising for the Jackson competition, held every four years. Friends also support the USA IBC in its mission to expand the audience for classical dance.

The USA IBC plans to partner with other companies in the metro area and state, presenting a BalletBackStory in conjunction with their performances of classics each spring, fall and holiday season.

For more information on Ballet BackStory or the Friends of the USA IBC, please call 601-355-9853.

Let the dance begin! 2014 Moonlight Attitude is Oct. 21 at Old Capitol Inn

To purchase tickets or become a host sponsor, click here or call the USA IBC office, 601-355-9853.

Fresh on the heels of the successful 2014 USA International Ballet Competition, Friends of the USA International Ballet Competition will present Moonlight Attitude, a fundraiser for the USA IBC, Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Old Capitol Inn, 226 North State Street, in Jackson.

Based on the success of last year’s inaugural event, Moonlight Attitude again will feature an hour of ballroom dance instruction for guests who want to polish their steps before the band takes the stage. Jim Frechette of Applause Dance Factory in Ridgeland will provide the group lesson from 6 to 7 p.m. The Capital City Stage Band will begin playing at 7 for an elegant evening of dancing, heavy hors d’ oeuvres and libations. Tickets, priced at $75 each, are all inclusive.

“As a volunteer group, the Friends organization is a great way to be involved with the USA IBC, the event that transforms Jackson into the center of the dance world every four years,” said Mary Schiele Scanlon, Friends President. “Moonlight Attitude is one way we raise funds to support the USA IBC, which is one of the oldest, most respected international ballet competitions and the official IBC within the United States.”

Four pieces of art will be given away in drawings during the evening. To see the art and purchase a raffle ticket for four chances to win, click here.

Special thanks to our 2014 Host Sponsors

Mr. & Mrs. William D. Mounger

Margaret & Lex Taylor

Benchmark Construction Corporation

Brown’s Fine Art

Ivy & Frank Alley

BRAVO!, Broad Street and Sal & Mookie’s

Jean and Glen Bush

Michael McBride & Ellen Bourdeaux

Briarwood Wine & Spirits

Capital City Beverages

Mr. & Mrs. David Clark

Allison & Haley R. Fisackerly

Suzie & Ashby Foote

Lee & Charles Jackson

Larry & Rita Johnson

Harriet DeCell Kuykendall

Mr. & Mrs. Mart Lamar

Larry & Vanessa Mize

Mona & Chris Nicholas

Duane & Donna O’Neill

Phoebe & Rob Pearigen

Mr. & Mrs. Flip Phillips

Peyton D. Prospere

Mike & Nan Sanders

Jancsi & Charlie Saums

Mary Schiele & Pat Scanlon, Jr.

Flo & Howard Stover

Rebecca A. Sykes

Jed & Amanda Turner

Carla & Randall Wall

Shannon & James Warnock

Margee & Collins Wohner

Sue Lobrano & Fred Womble

Bill Withers of Woodland Hills Package Store

Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s Dynamic Energy to Open 2014 USA International Ballet Competition

The USA International Ballet Competition audience will witness an astounding mix of methods, styles and cultures when Complexions Contemporary Ballet takes the stage June 14 to open the 2014 festival in Jackson, Mississippi. The USA IBC, June 14 – 29, is designated as the official international ballet competition in the United States by a Joint Resolution of the Congress.

“We always want to introduce a spectacular ‘wow factor’ opening night, and Complexions, as an inventive and incredibly dynamic group of dancers, will certainly fit the bill,” said Sue Lobrano, USA IBC executive director. “Their power and fluidity are explosive, creating an entirely new vision of human movement.”

Complexions Contemporary Ballet will perform Innervisions (2013), a work that will combine artistry and rhythmic dance moves with bold physicality, all set to the R & B music of Stevie Wonder.

“It will be extremely exciting for the USA IBC audience to experience how Complexions transcends the limitations of a single dance style, period, venue or culture,” Lobrano commented. “We anticipate a brilliant performance that will pay joyful homage to Stevie Wonder’s well-known rhythms and lyricism.”

Founded in 1994 and based in New York, Complexions has received numerous awards and has appeared throughout the United States, at major European dance festivals and in shows around the globe. Its founders and artistic directors, Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, are known for creating an open, continually evolving form of dance that reflects the movement of the world and all its constituent cultures as an interrelated whole. Rhoden, whose choreography has been the lynchpin in the development of the Complexions repertory, choreographed Innervisions.

Tickets to the USA IBC’s opening ceremony, including the competitors’ Parade of Nations and Complexions Contemporary Ballet performance, range from $35 to $60 and may be purchased at www.usaibc.com. Tickets for other individual performances during the three rounds of competition are priced from $7 to $70 and may also be purchased via the website.

The USA IBC is a two-week, “olympic-style” competition where tomorrow’s stars vie for medals, cash awards, company contracts and scholarships. The event is designated as the official international ballet competition in the United States by a Joint Resolution of the Congress. Presented under the auspices of the International Dance Committee, International Theatre Institute of UNESCO, the USA IBC is held every four years in Jackson, Miss., in the tradition of sister competitions in Varna, Bulgaria, and Moscow, Russia.

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