Round Two Results, 25 June

Jonathan Benajmin xeroxed several copies of Round Two results and I was the recipient of one copy. Walking into the media briefing with Sue Lobrano and Bruce Marks early June 24 held few surprises.

Marks announced the finalists for Round Three represent a dozen countries and a total of 34 dancers. In the Senior division there are a dozen males and eight females, for a total of twenty, and for the Juniors, nine females and five males, and a total of fourteen. Thirteen of the seniors have chosen to appear in pas de deux.

For the final round, soloists must dance two classical variations not previously seen and one contemporary not previously seen. The partnered couples need appear only in one classical and one contemporary, also new to our eyes.

Marks commented that it took the jury thirty-five minutes to reach their decision, but they were delayed by technical glitches. The results are immediately turned over to the production crew for scheduling of rehearsal space and technical run throughs. When that is accomplished, lists are posted at Bellhaven and at the Edison Walthall Hotel.

The time available to schedule technical rehearsals and for performance in three separate sessions is the determining factor how many dancers may progress to Round Three. "We chose to de a little less than the maximum with the hope that dancers can use that for more quality time in preparation."

"When the Competitors get to the Finals, everyone is a winner and they are assured of a Certificate, if not an actual prize. The Grand Prix is awarded either to a couple or to a single dancer. We have given just three, two of them when I have been Jury Chair. In 1986 it was Nina Ananiashvili and Andrus Liepa. In 1990, my first year on the jury it was Jose Manuel Carreno, now with American Ballet Theatre and in 1994 it was Johann Kobborg, now with The Royal Ballet.

"The Jury does not award a Grand Prix to Juniors, simply because it is too early to predict what the dancer will or will not do." Also, it retains the right to withhold a prize, whether for choreography or medals to the dancers. I remember that in 1979 Lubomir Kafka of then Czechoslovakia was given the gold medal for the men, but Jana Kurova, a juror here for the second time, was awarded a silver medal for senior women. In 1982, the first gold medal for women was awarded to Janie Parker of the Houston Ballet, the first for women and the first U.S. Gold. In 1979 David McNaughton of San Francisco Ballet was awarded the senior men’s silver. Rasta Thomas was the first American senior competitor to win the men’s gold medal in 1998.

A substantive discussion ensued regarding the level of choreography. A variety of suggestions has been laid on the table for consideration, none of which has been conclusive. Sue Lobrano had mentioned to me that, "If we close the doors with certain restrictions, we would never have seen Shogun for example."

A possibility has been a selection of twentieth century classics, including some of the marvelous character dances of Massine’s, but the logistics of distributing videotapes and providing coaching in style for 102 contestants is mind boggling. Bruce Marks did mention that 'modern’ has now come to mean much the same thing, world wide, despite the volatile, stock-market quality of the calibre.

Alphabetically, here are the finalists without separating by junior and senior categories: Dugarai Altankhuyag, Mongolia; Eve Andre, Estonia; Hao Bo, China; Sergiu Brindusa, Romania; Ashley Canterna, U.S.A; Michelle Carpenter, U.S.A; Katia Carranza, Mexico; Ian Casady, U.S.A.; Courtney Clarkson, U.S.A.; Keigo Fukuda, Japan; Yudai Fukuoka, Japan; Katia Garza, Mexico; Eun Ji Ha, South Korea; Wu Haiyan, China; Sang Yi Han, South Korea; Emi Hariyama, Japan; Melissa Hough, U.S.A; Mikhail Ilyin, Russian; Zhang Jing, China; Li Jun, China; Sara Lamb, U.S.A., Sarah Kathryn Lane, U.S.A.; Cristian Laverde Konig, Colombia; Chidozie Nzerem, U.S.A.; Joseph Phillips; U.S.A.; Joel Prouty, U.S.A.; Yaraslav Salenko, Ukraine; Yun Kyung Shin, South Korea; Agnieszka Szymanska, Poland; Daisuke Takeuchi, Japan; Danny Tidwell, U.S.A.; Sergei Upkin, Estonia; Sara Webb, U.S.A; Jiao Yang, China.

It needs to be emphasized that many of the finalists competing under a foreign flag, as well as some of the ceded competitors, are already affiliated with American companies. This has been particularly true of male dancers from Eastern Europe and women soloists from Japan. From my perspective, it has provided them with an edge for contemporary works, if it sometimes diminishes purity in classical work. Among other things, one longs to see some twentieth century classics elevated as competitors choices in the classical rounds. Not only does one shift uneasily over the 25th Don Quixote variation, but our eyes are accustomed to be critical with the rendition of an Ashton or Balanchine’s lovely Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. To see the eight variations of Ashton’s 1953 Hommage, honoring the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, would also provide for clear evaluation of classical technique.

This piece is part of Ballet.co's overall Jackson Competition coverage. The competition runs from the 15th to the 30th June 2002 and we plan daily reports to keep you in touch:
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