Kyivan among dancers competing in international ballet competition

JACKSON, Miss. - Yevgen Babachenko of Kyiv has been selected to compete in the 2006 USA International Ballet Competition, scheduled for June 17-July 2 in Jackson, Miss. Designated as the official USA competition by a joint resolution of Congress, the event is held every four years and showcases the best dance talent the world has to offer.

Mr. Babachenko, 23 will be among 121 dancers competing for scholarships, cash awards and medals during the USA IBC's three rounds of competition. He will compete in the senior division and perform variations from the classical repertoire and a contemporary work.

The USA IBC's selection process is rigorous and requires that dancers submit written entries and performance videos from the classical ballet repertoire. Mr. Babachenko was selected by a world-renowned group of dance professionals who chose him out of a 300-person applicant pool.

Mr. Babachenko has 11 years of dance training. When not dancing, he enjoys playing sports. He says that he was inspired to dance by a desire to see the world and express himself.

The USA IBC is held in the traditions of sister competitions in Moscow, and Varna, Bulgaria, where the first international ballet competition was held in 1964. The first USA IBC was held in Jackson, Miss., in 1979.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 18, 2006, No. 25, Vol. LXXIV

| Home Page |