Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Korean dancers win big at Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition
Ryu Seong-woo of South Korea performs at the 8th annual Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition at Symphony Space in New York City, Saturday. UPI-Yonhap
By Kwon Mee-yoo
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Korean dancers bagged trophies at the eighth annual Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition held at the Symphony Space in New York City from March 18-23.
Ryu Seong-woo, 21, won the gold medal in the Male Senior Division of the Classical Competition as well as the Best Interpretation of the Male Classical Compulsory category, receiving double awards at the competition. Park Ha-eun, 22, obtained a gold medal in the Female Senior Division in Classical Ballet.
Ryu and Park also won scholarships from Conservatoire National Superieur de Musiaue et de Danse de Paris, Stage Arcachon International Ballet Summer Workshop, Summer program France and Summer workshop Salzberg.
Park Ha-eun of South Korea performs at the 8th annual Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition at Symphony Space in New York City, Saturday. UPI-Yonhap
Choi Mok-rin won silver and Gwak Ji-oh won bronze in in Female Senior Division in Classical Ballet, taking the podium.
In the Contemporary/Neoclassical Competition, Suh Ye-jin, 21, and Jeon Hee-won, 20, received the gold medal together, while Sohn Seung-ri won silver and Kim Ji-hye won bronze in the Female Solo Division. In Male Solo, Kim Ji-gong and Choi Hyung-kyoo won silver together.
All winners are students of Korea National University of Arts' School of Dance.
The competition is named after the Soviet-born Russian American ballerina who danced with the Bolshoi Ballet and New York City Ballet. Known as a lyrical and expressive ballet dancer, Kozlova was a judge at many ballet competitions and founded her own event in 2013.
Kozlova said Korean participants in general are professional and have great technique and expression. "They are especially head and shoulders above other competitors in physical condition. I acknowledge the talent of Korean ballet dancers," Kozlova is quoted saying.
In the 2019 edition, some 80 dancers from 16 countries including Russia, South Africa, Argentina, Canada, China, Japan and South Korea took part in the competition, vying for a variety of prizes such as company contracts, scholarships and invitations to perform.
The list of this year's judges, headed by Russian director-choreographer Andris Liepa, includes Nina Ananiashvili from the State Ballet of Georgia, Nikolay Tsiskaridze of the Vaganova Academy and Mikko Nissinen of the Boston Ballet.