Istanbul to become the stage for ballet

ISTANBUL — The contestants participating in the 4th International Istanbul Ballet Competition and Festival from all around the world are counting the days for the festival organized by the Turkish State Opera and Ballet.

The event will present the ballet version of Count Dracula's story, as the opening performance on June 21. "Bach Ala Turca" by the Samsun State Opera and Ballet will be on stage on June 24 at the Bakırköy Leyla Gencer Opera House. The CRR Concert Hall will host the semi-finals on June 22-23, with the finals on June 25 and the award ceremony and gala night on June 26.

The contestants are divided into two main categories, junior boys and girls aged 15-19 and senior males and females aged 20-26. The winners will be given the Istanbul Grand Prix Award, worth 8,000 euros (TL 23,055). The festival intends to promote Turkey's artistic values and bring new worldwide perspectives to the art of dance. "I believe the festival will make great contributions to Turkish ballet, aiming to move from a national to an international platform. The city of Istanbul will be the heart of ballet,"

State Opera and Ballet Director Rengim Gökmen said. The art of ballet requires continuous dedication and effort. Gökmen congratulated all ballet dancers and ballerinas starting to take courses from the age of seven until 17. The State Opera and Ballet exerted great efforts to organize an international ballet competition in Turkey, encouraging young talents.

The competition was recognized by the International Ballet Competitions Federation and is highly respected around the world. "It is very important for us to be mentioned among the established ballet competitions such as in New York, Tokyo, Rome and Varna," said Gökmen.
He further pointed out that the State Opera and Ballet uses well-known dance techniques without losing its authentic character during musical performances.

The semi-finalists were selected by assessing their DVD performances. Twelve dancers were selected for the junior category, while the senior category includes 20 dancers. The festival offers the chance for young talents to broaden their visions and share the experiences of a prominent jury. Sponsored by the International Organization of Turkish Culture (TÜRKSOY), the events will welcome worldrenowned ballet and ballerinas including Irek Mukhamedov, Julia Bocca, Vladimir Malakhov, Fabiene Cerruti and Margarita Parilla.