Young dancers shine at Int’l Istanbul Ballet Competition

ISTANBUL

The award ceremony and gala of the seventh International Istanbul Ballet Competition, organized by the General Directorate of the State Opera and Ballet (DOB), was held at the Türk Telekom Opera Hall of the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) on June 1.

Bringing together young dancers and leading figures of the ballet world from across the globe, the competition presented awards in four categories: Senior Girls, Senior Boys, Junior Girls and Junior Boys.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency before the event, jury president Tan Sağtürk, artistic adviser to the Culture and Tourism Ministry and vice president of the International Federation of Ballet Competitions (IFBC), highlighted the strategic importance of international competitions for countries.

Noting that ballet education requires at least a decade of rigorous training, Sağtürk said conservatories provide the foundations of the art form, while competitions allow dancers to measure themselves against international standards.

“Competitions offer us the opportunity to compare ourselves with others and to see exactly where we stand in terms of technical and artistic quality on a global scale,” he said.

Sağtürk emphasized that the competition was made possible through strong cooperation among the Culture and Tourism Ministry, sponsors and the State Opera and Ballet.

He also pointed to Istanbul’s significance as a cultural meeting point connecting Asia, Europe and the Americas, saying the city’s position was particularly valuable for the development of cultural tourism.

Recalling that long-established international events such as the Varna Competition in Bulgaria and the Paris Competition had ceased operations due to economic challenges, Sağtürk said sustaining such organizations requires broad support.

Although the Istanbul competition was suspended for six years because of the pandemic, he said collective efforts by artists, technical teams and administrators ensured its successful return.

“The 7th International Istanbul Ballet Competition has now become a respected brand that international artists want to be part of,” he said.

Sağtürk also praised the international jury panel and said medal-winning dancers were already attracting offers from institutions around the world.

“Artists who performed at the gala and received medals have begun receiving invitations from across the international ballet community,” he said.

He added that Turkish competitors had shown notable progress in recent years, appearing on stage with greater experience and self-discipline.

International jury panel
The competition, aimed at contributing to the international development of ballet, featured performances from the classical ballet repertoire as well as contemporary dance works, all evaluated by an internationally renowned jury.

Opening the ceremony, Sağtürk said the competition had provided an international platform for young and emerging dancers since its inception.

“Over the years, our competition has brought together hundreds of dancers from different continents, distinguished educators and arts professionals, and has become a turning point in the careers of many artists,” he said.

Selçuk Kaan Saltık, chairman of the board of sponsor Koluman Holding, said the vision of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in supporting the arts during the early years of the Republic remained a source of
inspiration.

“We wholeheartedly believe that a country’s place among contemporary civilizations is determined not only by its industry, production and trade, but also by its arts, sports and cultural level,” Saltık said.

The jury included IFBC General Director Sergey Usanov, Seoul Ballet Company Artistic Director Professor Jae Keun Park, state artist and choreographer Meriç Sümen, Özkan Arslan, Serhat Güdül, İlke Kodal, acting artistic director of the Berlin State Ballet School Marek Rozycki, KazNTOP Ballet Company Artistic Director Gulzhan Tutkibaeva, Dance For You Magazine CEO Mihaela Vieru and Joy Womack Ballet Company founder Joy Womack.

Honorary guests included Dutch National Ballet Director Ted Brandsen, Azerbaijani People’s Artist Tarana Muradova and pioneering Turkish choreographer Sait Sökmen.

Winners announced
In the Junior Girls category, Seo Yun Lee won first prize, while Mey Ece Yenici and Mavisu Tuğrul shared second place. Derin Yazıcı and Nehir Uslu shared third place.

In the Junior Boys category, Dowon Buyun took first prize, Memduh Sumakiya finished second and Çınar Karçkay placed third.

Among the Senior Girls, Adiya Manabassova won first prize, while Doğa Su Aktaş and Milina Fidan shared second place. Miharu Sugahara finished third.

In the Senior Boys category, Iskandar Anvarov won first prize, while Hideki Yasamuro was awarded second place. The Nilay Yeşiltepe Special Award was presented to Kuzey Bostancı.

The gala featured performances by Russian dancer Daniil Simkin, Hungarian State Opera principal dancer Tatyjana Melnyik, Dutch National Ballet principal dancers Anna Tsygankova and Giorgi Potskhishvili and Béjart Ballet Lausanne principal
dancer Efe Burak.