News

Congratulations to the 2023 USA IBC Award Winners!

June 25, 2023

After nearly two weeks and three rounds of competition performances, the USA International Ballet Competition announced the winning medalists at Friday night’s Awards Gala at Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, MS. Known for launching the careers of some of the ballet world’s biggest stars (Johan Kobborg and Nina Ananiashvili, to name a couple), the IBC is a hugely anticipated event here in Jackson, drawing large and enthusiastic audiences each night. The dancers arrived on June 5 to get acclimated, with opening ceremonies on June 10 and lectures, master classes, choreographic workshops, and other special events scheduled throughout.

Held every four years, the USA IBC is part of a network of international competitions held in Varna, Bulgaria; Helsinki, Finland; and Moscow, Russia. They are intentionally spaced out to avoid conflicting with each other. This year’s competition was originally supposed to be held in 2022 but was rescheduled after the coronavirus pandemic forced Varna and Helsinki to move their dates.

The 99 competitors this year, divided into junior and senior categories and between the ages of 15 and 27, were whittled down to 29 finalists. Medalists were selected solely based on their scores from Round III. International jury members included chairman John Meehan and co-chair Lauren Anderson (USA), Paloma Herrera (Argentina), Stanton Welch (Australia), André Lewis (Canada), Feng Ying (China), Frank Andersen (Denmark), Angel Corella (Spain), and Ashley Wheater (United Kingdom). The winners performed a selection of their repertoire at Friday’s gala, with music performed live by the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, while eliminated dancers from Round II performed a rousing new work by choreographer Gretchen Bernard-Newburger.

And now, without further ado…the results! Congratulations to all.

Senior Men

Gold ($12,000): Ryo Sasaski, 24, Japan, International Ballet Theater
Silver ($7,000): Chongzheng Guan, 24, China, National Ballet of China
Bronze ($5,000): Yuval Cohen, 20, Israel, Philadelphia Ballet

Senior Women

Gold ($12,000): Sayako Toku, 21, Japan, Jinushi Kaoru Ballet
Silver ($7,000): Xinyue Zhao, 23, China, National Ballet of China
Bronze ($5,000): Yunju Lee, 19, South Korea, Korea National University of Arts

  • Three young men stand on an Olympic-style podium, wearing formal suits and a sash of flowers around their left shoulder. They each wear a medal around their neck.
    From left: Chongzheng Guan, Ryo Sasaki and Yuval Cohen. Photo by Karen Gilder, courtesy USA IBC.
  • Sayoko Taku and Ryo Sasaki dance the wedding pas de deux from the ballet Don Quixote. Toku wears a bright red classical tutu and poses with her left leg in attitude croisé and her arms raised in a V shape, palms facing in. Sasaki stands back and to the right of her, his left hand on his hip and his right arm raised triumphantly. He wears a black a gold Spanish-style tunic and black tights.
    Sayoko Toku and Ryo Sasaki. Photo by Richard Finkelstein, courtesy USA IBC.
  • During a performance, Chongzheng Guan holds Xinyue Zhao between her legs and around her neck, propping her horizontally at his waist. She presses her legs tightly together and her arms to her sides. She wears a gauzy white dress, while he wears a black shirt and pants.
    Xinyue Zhao and Chongzheng Guan. Photo by Richard Finkelstein, courtesy USA IBC.
  • Yunju Lee does a piqué attitude croisé on pointe with her right leg back and her arms open in second with her palms facing up. She wears a light pink peasant costume with a knee-length tutu.
    Yunju Lee. Photo by Richard Finkelstein, courtesy USA IBC.
  • Yuval Cohen performs a sissonne fermé en avant, splitting his legs and holding his arms sin third position. He wears a blue tunic with white billowing sleeves, white tights and white ballet slippers and dances in front of a bright blue backdrop.
    Yuval Cohen. Photo by Richard Finkelstein, courtesy USA IBC.

Best Couple ($2,000 each): Sayako Toku and Ryo Sasaki, Japan

Junior Men

Gold ($6,000): Alexei Orohovsky, 16, USA, John Cranko School
Silver ($4,000): Kangwon Lee, 18, South Korea, Korea National University of the Arts
Bronze ($2,000): Zihan Kong, 18, China, School of National Ballet of China

Junior Women

Gold ($6,000): Mengxuan Yan, 16, China, School of National Ballet of China
Silver ($4,000): Not awarded
Bronze ($2,000): Julie Joyner, 18, USA, International City School of Ballet

  • • Three young men stand on an Olympic-style podium, wearing formal suits and a sash of flowers around their left shoulder. They each wear a medal around their neck.
    From left: Kangwon Lee, Alexei Orohovsky, and Zihon Kong. Photo by Karen Gilder, courtesy USA IBC.
  • Alexei Orohovsky stands on his right leg in tendu derriere in effacé during a performance. He extends his right arm out, palm up, and places his left hand on his hip as he looks out to the audience with a smile. He wears a princely white tunic with gold trim, white tights and white ballet slippers, and performs in front of a blue backdrop.
    Alexei Orohovsky. Photo by Karen Gilder, courtesy USA IBC.
  • Kangwon Lee does an assemblé with his left leg in front and reaches his arms to the right. He wears an open black sport coat, black pants and slippers, and a black hat, and smiles broadly for the audience.
    Kangwon Lee. Photo by Richard Finkelstein, courtesy USA IBC.
  • Mengxuan Yan and Zihan Kong perform a classical pas de deux onstage in front of a purple backdrop. She does a penché in attitude with her arms bent and hands clasped behind her back and looks back at Kong, who holds her waist. She wears a white romantic tutu with a green peasant-style bodice, and he wears a white tunic and white tights and ballet slippers.
    Mengxuan Yan and Zihan Kong. Photo by Richard Finkelstein, courtesy USA IBC.
  • Two young women stand on an Olympic-style podium, wearing formal dresses and high heels and carrying bouquets of flowers. They each wear a medal around their neck.
    From left: Mengxuan Yan and Julie Joyner. Photo by Karen Gilder, Courtesy USA IBC.
  • Julie Joyner performs a piqué attitude in croisé during a performance with her left lag in back. She raises her right arm and looks up toward it. She wears a white classical tutu, pink tights and pink pointe shoes and dances in front of a blue backdrop.
    Julie Joyner. Photo by Karen Gilder, courtesy USA IBC.

Best Couple ($1,000 each): Mengxuan Yan and Zihan Kong, China

Special Awards

Robert Joffrey Award of Merit ($1,000): Munkhjin Ulziijargal, 23, Mongolia, State Opera and Ballet Academic TheatreJury Award of Encouragement, Male ($1,000): Corbin Holloway, 16, USA, CityDance Conservatory

  • Munkhjin Ulziijargal performs a grand jeté to the right and holds his arms in third position. He wears a blue velvet tunic, white tights and white ballet slippers and dances in front of a blue backdrop. He looks out to the audience with a proud smile.
    Munkhjin Ulziijargal. Photo by Richard Finkelstein, courtesy USA IBC.
  • Corbin Holloway wears a red sleeveless top and red footless tights. His body faces the back of the stage and he does a penché with his left leg behind him, reaching his right arm out and stretching his left arm up and back.
    Corbin Holloway. Photo by Richard Finkelstein, courtesy USA IBC.
  • : Isabella Howard does a high grand battement with her right leg and leans her body over to the left, clasping her hands and pulling them downward in front of her body. She wears loose purple pants and a purple tube top and dances in front of a black backdrop.
    Isabella Howard. Photo by Richard Finkelstein, courtesy USA IBC.

Jury Award of Encouragement, Female ($1,000): Isabella Howard, 15, USA, Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy
Choreography Award ($3,000): Chen Zihao, China, “Children of the Stars”
Tutu.com Award ($4,818 each): Kyan Park, USA, BalletMet; Danielle Kleiner, Philippines, Ballet Philippines

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