Introduction to the Jackson International Ballet Competition

When the Jackson International Ballet Competition announced it had 118 competitors and Dennis Nahat declared the competition was very stiff (video tapes were submitted to the selection committee which Nahat chaired), it did not dwell too much on the range of countries represented.

Despite the fact that England now has some sort of national competition if I am read information correctly, there is no competitor from Old Albion on the roster. This year the French and Germans are also absent, and each country has provided winners in previous competitions held in Mississippi's capital auditorium, now named for Thalia Mara, the lady whose vision brought the Competition to Jackson.

Back to the competitors, the junior competitors number 42. As you would expect, the majority come from the United States: 23 of them. Japan is second with 9, followed by China, 4. South Korea is sending 3, I believe all students at the Conservatory of Dance, Korea National University of the Arts, and Brazil is sending 2.

The seniors represent a much broader roster of countries. Of the 76, the United States again is listed as providing 23, seconded by Japan with 15. The numbers rapidly dwindle to China with 5, Brazil with 4 . Before a series of 2's emerge, Belarus accounts for 3 entrants. Countries sending 2 entrants include: Albania; Canada; Cuba ; Estonia; Finland; Mexico; Poland and the Ukraine. Single entrants are listed from Bulgaria; Columbia; Italy; Kazakstan; Mongolia; Russia; Spain; Sweden; Venezuela.

If my memory is accurate, one or two of the senior competitors have previously or are now dancing in American companies, but this requires a little digging and later confirmation. One obvious guess is that Nadiesda Yanowsky, who is listed as a senior entrant from Spain, is the sister of the two Yanowskys who walked away with gold medals in 1994 and whose father was a juror in 1998.

Looking at the roster reminded me that the former Soviet Union is supplying its share of entrants: Combining Belarus; Kazakhstan; Russia and The Ukraine the total makes 7 competitors. It will be fascinating to see how the Vaganova training standard plays out with these representatives.

I am somewhat bemused at the thought of a second Mongolian participant and one from Kazakhstan, and what this signifies regarding the inroads of Western cultural standards in those once remote areas of the Eurasian continent. If they are coming to the USA for the first time, the adjustment will be immense, to which the competition is an added challenge.

Fortunately, the Jacksonians will do everything at their command to make the experience fruitful. The rest, of course, is up to talent, training, stage presence and good luck.