40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE KOZLOV'S DEFECTION FROM THE SOVIET UNION
Company:
Valentina Kozlova
This year's KOZLOVA INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION includes two special events:
- The 40th Anniversary of the Kozlov's defection, and
- the 10th Anniversary of the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition.
LOCATION:
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street)
Tickets: $40; $20 for students/seniors
Reservations: www.symphonyspace.org or 212.864.5400
COMPETITION ROUNDS:
Monday, March 16 - Classical
Tuesday, March 17 - Contemporary
Wednesday, March 18 - Classical
Approximately 150 dancers from countries around the world will compete, representing Argentina, Aruba, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ireland, Latvia, Mexico, Paraguay, Poland, Russian Federation, USA, and Venezuela. They will dance for company contracts and scholarships to major international schools.
The dancers have chosen their solos and pas de deux from dozens of selections submitted to them by VKIBC. Among the more unique dances offered are the Cavalry Halt Pas de Deux by Gusev after Petipa; Shades Variations and the Gold Idol from La Bayadere by Petipa; a solo from Laurencia by Chabukiani; the Fairy Doll variation by Legat, variation from Walpurgis Nacht by Lavrovsky; and La Vivandiere by Arthur Saint-Leon, along with dances from Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, and other classics.
With the renewed support of the Serge Lifar Foundation, Ms. Kozlova is again able to offer compulsory solos from Lifar's Suite en Blanc, for men and women in the senior division. Chairman of the Jury Charles Jude, who danced Suite en Blanc countless times during his career as etoile with the Paris Opera Ballet, will coach the dancers.
Jury:
- Charles Jude (France) returns as Chairman of the Jury
- Mikko Nissinen (USA) is Honorary Chairman of the Jury
- Patricia Aulestia de Alba (Mexico)
- Nina Buisson (France)
- Valentin Elizariev (Belarus)
- Olga Guardia de Smoak (Panama)
- Sun Hee Kim (South Korea)
- Jeffrey Hughes (USA)
- Mi Sook Jeon (South Korea)
- Regina Kaupuza (Latvia)
- Konstantin Kostjukov (Serbia)
- Aivars Leimanis (Latvia)
- Paul McRae (USA
- Brenda Neville (USA)
- Melanie Person (USA)
- Radenko Pavlovich (USA)
- Michael Pink (USA)
- Ricardo Scheir (Brazil)
- Sergei Soloviev (Russia)
- Tamas Solymosi (Hungary)
- Nikolai Tsiskaridze (Russia).
40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE KOZLOV'S DEFECTION FROM THE SOVIET UNION
Thursday, March 19 at 6PM
Valentina Kozlova and Leonid Kozlov, both principal dancers with the Bolshoi Ballet, defected when the Company was performing in Los Angeles in 1959. To celebrate this milestone, they will be reunited on stage in a Gala Performance (Leonid will come from his home in Aruba), along with guests that include Brooklyn Mack, former VKIBC gold medalist and dancer with the English National Ballet; Clement Guillaume, former VKIBC Silver Medalist and dancer with the Columbia Ballet in South Carolina; Justin Valentine, former VKIBC Silver Medalist and recipient of a one-year scholarship to the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg, in a contemporary solo by Nina Buisson; video showings of Valentina and Leonid, and more.
Friday, March 20 at 6 PM
Announcement of the 2020 Medalists (6 to 6:30 PM) followed by Gala Performance of Medalists and Guests (7 PM curtain).
Share Your Audience Review. Your Words Are Valuable to Dance.
Are you going to see this show, or have you seen it? Share "your" review here on The Dance Enthusiast. Your words are valuable. They help artists, educate audiences, and support the dance field in general. There is no need to be a professional critic. Just click through to our Audience Review Section and you will have the option to write free-form, or answer our helpful Enthusiast Review Questionnaire, or if you feel creative, even write a haiku review. So join the conversation.
