The 25th New York International Ballet Competition just wrapped and it turns out our own Joffrey Ballet brought it. While the seven-member jury exercised its standard-upholding right to not award any gold medals this year, it did drape silvers around the elegant necks of company member John Mark Giragosian and trainee-on-scholarship Amber Neumann. An Arpino Award — a one-year contract with the Joffrey — was also handed out, to Brazilian dancer Ricardo Santos, who shared a men’s bronze with Estonia’s Artjom Maksakov. Entrants competed in the pas de deux from Paquita, Raymonda and Taylor’s Aureole.
A torch was passed at this year’s event: NYIBC founder and Executive Director Ilona Copen introduced former Paul Taylor Dance Company star Richard Chen See as her successor.
A biennial event, the next New York IBC will be held in June, 2011 at the Rose Theater on Columbus Circle.
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