Young ballet dancers prepare for competition

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Ballet master classes will also be held during the competition until June 30. AA photo

The third International Istanbul Ballet Competition, organized by the Directorate General of State Opera and Ballet, began yesterday and will continue until June 30.

The competition is divided into two categories: Juniors (girls and boys aged between 15 and 19) and seniors (women and men aged between 19 and 26).

During the competition, which also aims at promoting worldwide exchange and development of ballet education and training, ballet master classes will be held under the instruction of Mikhail Lavrovsky, a star dancer of the Berlin National Ballet.

Speaking to Anatolia news agency about the event, the head of Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory’s ballet department, Associate Professor Müride Aksan said the competition was a very good chance for young ballet dancers to show their talent in an international arena, adding, “Such competitions generally the open doors of world stages for young artists and contribute to the development of the competition environment, which is necessary in the field of art. Also, young dancers get more experience as they have contact with international ballet dancers during the competitions.”
She said Hacettepe University Conservatory accepted primary and high school students in the ballet department. “Children should start training at a very young age. Students who are not older than age 12 can take aptitude tests and have the chance to receive training at our conservatory. Our quota is 15 people this year. The tests will begin in July.”