Turkish State Opera and Ballet (DOB) artist Nilay Tahiroğlu received a "special diploma" award in the final of the 15th International Moscow Ballet Competition, one of the world's most prestigious ballet competitions.
The competition, held June 25 to July 5 on the Historic Stage of Moscow's Bolshoi Theater, brought together 362 dancers from 35 countries competing across multiple categories.
Tahiroğlu was granted direct entry into the competition after being exempted from the preliminary selection process due to her previous achievements at international ballet competitions.
She represented Türkiye in the Senior Girls' Solo category, advancing to the final after three rounds of competition. Only 18 dancers reached the final stage.
No first- or second-place awards were presented in Tahiroğlu's category. She was the only competitor to receive the Special Diploma Award. Russian dancer Anastasia Svetlishina received a certificate, while Serbian dancer Jana Zimonjic finished third.
Volkan Ersoy, the veteran choreographer who coached Tahiroğlu, described her performance as a landmark achievement for Turkish ballet.
"For a Turkish artist to reach the final among the top five female dancers in Russia – the birthplace of classical ballet – and represent the country on the world's most prestigious stage and at one of its leading competitions is a tremendous success," Ersoy said.
Ersoy said Tahiroğlu became the first Turkish artist to have her name included among the competition's award recipients in Russia.
"I am certain her career will continue to advance with great strides," he said. "She competed on one of the world's most challenging stages. The Bolshoi stage is sloped, making it one of the rarest and most difficult stages for dancers. There is also no other competition in the world where the final round is performed with a live orchestra. To represent our country under such demanding conditions, with exceptional mental preparation and composure under pressure, is already a source of great pride. Nilay is our champion."