Major Ballet Luminaries Judge South African International Ballet Competition at Artscape Opera House

Dirk Badenhorst, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC) has announced that the fifth SAIBC will take place from 22 to 28 February 2016, at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town. The closing date for entries is 1 February 2016.

Africa's only international ballet competition, the SAIBC was launched in 2008 with subsequent competitions in 2010, 2012 and 2014 attracting dancers from South Africa and around the world to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals, as well as substantial monetary prizes. The categories in which dancers compete, in both ballet and contemporary dance, are Scholars, (12 to 15 years), Junior (16 to 20 years) and Seniors (21 to 28 years). The total prize money amounts to R400 000.

In line with earlier SAIBCs, a distinguished panel of judges from around the World and South Africa has been assembled for SAIBC 2016.

Brigitte Lefèvre, dancer and later company director, was Director of the Paris Opera Ballet from 1995 to 2014 and during her directorship re-asserted the Paris Opera Ballet's standing as one of the great ballet companies of the world. Since her retirement, she has travelled extensively, serving as a Judge at major international ballet competitions.

Argentinian Julio Bocca, former principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre and an international guest artist, is applauded as being among the world's leading ballet stars in the last two decades of the twentieth century. Today, Bocca is the artistic director of the Ballet Nacional SODRE in Uruguay.

Hae Shik Kim, Founding Dean of the Korean National University of Arts School of Dance, is a former ballerina and artistic director of the Korean National Ballet, who now serves as artistic director of the Seoul International Dance Competition.

Valentina Kozlova joined the Bolshoi Ballet in 1973 and in 1979 defected to the West, becoming an international guest artist before joining New York City Ballet in 1983, where she remained until 1995. In 2003, she opened a dance school in New York and in 2011 launched the Boston International Ballet Competition which in 2013 became the New York-based Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition.

Oliver Matz, former principal dancer of the Ballet of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin and acclaimed international guest artist, is now the Director of Dance Studies and faculty member for classical male dance of the Zurich Dance Academy in Switzerland.

Elizabeth Triegaardt is one of South Africa's pre-eminent ballet figures, having had a distinguished career as principal dancer with CAPAB Ballet, later becoming head of the University of Cape Town School of Dance. Triegaardt is an Emeritus Professor at UCT and at present holds the position of Honorary Executive Director of Cape Town City Ballet.

Dirk Badenhorst has been Chief Executive Officer of the SAIBC, the continent's most successful competitive ballet event, since its inception in 2008. Commenting on the upcoming competition, the Board of Directors of the SAIBC confirmed that Badenhorst's pivotal role in the SAIBC, together with that of the Board, will once again ensure its tremendous success.

Application forms, rules and regulations and other information are available on the South African International Ballet Competition website. Queries may also be addressed to Dirk Badenhorst via email.

Tickets are available for the elimination rounds that take place from 23 - 25 February at 6pm at R65 each; for the Semi Finals on Friday 26 February at 7pm from R65 to R225 each; for the Finals on Saturday 27 February at 7pm, when the winners will be announced, at R65 to R225 each; and for the Gala that showcases the winners and guest artists on Sunday 28 February at 3pm, at R90 to R300 per person. All bookings are via Computicket or 08619158000 or Artscape Dial-A-Seat on 0214217695.

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