The XI International Competition of Ballet Dancers and Choreographers
June 10 - June 20, 2009
100 participants from 21 countries
In 2009 the competition celebrated its 40th anniversary and was dedicated to the outstanding Russian ballerina of the 20th century, Marina Semenova, who turned 101 that year. Marina Semenova was a Jury Member of the first competition.
Chairman of the Organizing Committee
Mikhail Lavrovsky (Russia)
Chairman of the Jury
Yuri Grigorovich (Russia)
Jury Members
Julio Bocca (Argentina)
Vladimir Vasiliev (Russia)
Valentin Elizariev (Republic Of Belarus)
Charles Jude (France)
Krassimira Koldamova (Bulgaria)
Marina Leonova (Russia)
Tursynbek Nurkaliev (Kazakhstan)
Margherita Parrilla (Italy)
Ludmila Semeniaka (Russia)
Yury Stanishevsky (Ukraine)
Xiao Su Ниа (China)
Tae-Ji Choi (Republic of Korea)
Nikolai Tsiskaridze (Russia)
Contest of ballet dancers
Maria Semeniachenko (Russia)
Guan Wenting (China)
Vladimir Shkliarov (Russia)
Andrei Pisarev (Ukraine)
Dmitry Zagrebin (Russia)
Angelina Vorontsova (Russia)
Anastasia Soboleva (Russia)
Contest of choreographers
Yury Smekalov (Russia)
Contest of ballet dancers
Nina Golskaya (Russia)
Oksana Bondareva (Ukraine)
Kim Li Ное (Republic of Korea)
Alexander Smolianinov (Russia)
Dong Hoon Li (Republic of Korea)
Xing Liang (China)
Kosuke Okumura (Japan)
Alys Shee (Canada)
Hannah Schiller (USA)
Daria Khokhlova (Russia)
Fumi Капеко (Japan)
Marcelino Sambe (Portugal)
Kim Ki Min (Republic of Korea)
Contest of choreographers
Snezhana Zdor (Russia)
Contest of ballet dancers
Svetlana Svinko (Russia)
Ekaterina Oleynik (Republic Of Belarus)
Mikhail Timaev (Russia)
Mikhail Kruchkov (Russia)
Ksenia Zhiganshina (Russia)
Emily Kadow (USA)
Maria Mishina (Russia)
Daria Bochkova (Russia)
Dmitry Sobolevsky (Russia)
Коуа Okawa (Japan)
Contest of choreographers
Ksenia Oivental (Russia)
Contest of ballet dancers
Ekatrerina Ivannikova (Russia)
Eldar Sarsembaev (Kazakhstan)
Alexander Stoyanov (Ukraine)
Yassaui Mergaliev (Kazakhstan)
Alexander Timofeev (Russia)
Anastasia Limenko (Republic Of Belarus)
Reika Опо (Japan)
Choe Ji Young (Republic of Korea)
Evgenio Lepera (Italy)
Andrei Sorokin (Ukraine)
Dmitry Biakov (Russia)
Special award for Artistic
Merits Marcelino Sambe (Portugal)
Partnering Award
Artem Ovcharenko (Russia)
Federation of Ballet Competitions Award
Yuri Grigorovich (Russia)
Ballet Magazine Award to the Coach
Elena Riabinkina (Russia)
Award to Lighting Designer
Elena Kopunova (Russia)
Contest of choreographers
Emil Faski (Russia)
Alisher Hassanov (Russia
Konstantin Semenov (Russia)
Yuri Grigorovich, the Chairman of the International Jury and artistic director of the competition. Photo: Dmitry Kulikov
The Opening Ceremony was held on the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater. For the first time, the International Jury included Vladimir Vasilyev, people's artist of Russia, ballet master, and choreographer of the Bolshoi Theatre; Julio Bocca, director of the Ballet Argentino, winner of the 1985 Moscow Competition; Nikolai Tsiskaridze, people's artist of Russia, head of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, and winner of the 1997 Moscow Competition.
Out of 124 competitors, 20 junior and 21 senior participants were admitted to the final competition. The competition was very tough, especially in the senior men's group of soloists. Russian dancers Alexander Smolianinov, Vladimir Shklyarov (Mariinsky Theatre soloist), and Ukrainian ballet dancer Andrey Pisarev were the leading contenders for the title of the winner. Maria Semeniachenko, the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre soloist, was the leader among adult female dancers throughout the competition.
In the Partnering Competition, the Chinese pair of Guan Wenting and Xing Liang was in the lead. The main rivals of the Chinese duo were the Russian pair of Maria Mishina and Dmitry Zagrebin.
Maria Semeniachenko (Russia), winner of the XI International Competition of Ballet Dancers and Choreographers in Moscow, first prize, gold medal. Photo: Dmitry Kulikov
The winners were Mariya Semeniachenko, who became the first soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre; the Chinese dancer Guan Wenting; Mariinsky Theatre soloist Vladimir Shklyarov; Andrey Pisarev, who is currently a leading dancer of the ballet company of the Odessa National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, and Bolshoi Theatre soloist Dmitry Zagrebin. In the junior group, gold medals went to current Mariinsky Theatre ballerina Angelina Vorontsova and Anastasia Soboleva, who became a dancer at the Bolshoi Theatre.
The first prize among choreographers in 2009 was awarded to Mariinsky Theatre premiere Yury Smekalov for his performances of Requiem for Narcissus and Parting. The jury particularly praised Parting's choreographic composition, which its author performed with his partner, 2005 Moscow Competition laureate Evgenia Obraztsova.
The General Assembly of the International Federation of ballet competitions held a meeting during the competition, which established a Federation's prize for significant contribution to the international competition movement. Yuri Grigorovich was the first winner.
