The Cincinnati Enquirer has a brief item on the two pairs of dancers from Cincinnati Ballet who remain in contention (Janessa Touchet/Cervilio Miguel Amador; and Adiarys Almeida Santana/Joseph Michael Gotti). Included is a wonderful photograph of Touchet and Amador at the top of a one-handed overhead lift from the opening adagio of the Don Quixote pas de deux, photographed by official IBC photographer Richard Finkelstein, who sat directly across the aisle from me for nine performances last week, capturing great moments:

Cincinnati Enquirer

Diane Hubbard Burns reviews the status of competitors from Central Florida in the Orlando Sentinel:

Orlando Sentinel

I couldn't agree more! It has been wonderful to follow the happenings at Jackson through the posts here. Thank you!

I'm too lazy to write up everything so for what it's worth here is a photo of my program with my notes - please don't count off for spelling. And remember I don't do ballet for a living so just because I scored someone low doesn't mean they didn't give a medal winning performance. Note that you will probably have to click on the "Get original uploaded photo" to be able to read this.

Page 1: http://public.fotki.com/ejmc/ibc/temp/r3s1p1_img_4933.html

Page 2: http://public.fotki.com/ejmc/ibc/temp/r3s1p2img_4934.html

Here is Wednesday night's program with my notes. Remember I don't do ballet for a living so just because I scored someone low doesn't mean they didn't give a medal winning performance. Note that you will probably have to click on the "Get original uploaded photo" to be able to read this.

Page 1: http://public.fotki.com/ejmc/ibc/temp/r3s2p1_img_4935.html

Page 2: http://public.fotki.com/ejmc/ibc/temp/r3s2p2_img_4936.html

I plan to get a copy of the judges list of competitors that have to be ready to dance at the Awards Gala Saturday night when it is posted at the Judges' hotel sometime after midnight. This will not show who won which medal. I presume the metalist will be presented at the 10:00 AM Friday news conference and it should be on the web shortly after that.

Heading to the auditorium shortly - this promises to be a really good night. Too bad it's the last night.

Here is Thursday night's program with my notes. Remember I don't do ballet for a living so just because I scored someone low doesn't mean they didn't give a medal winning performance. Note that you will probably have to click on the "Get original uploaded photo" to be able to read this.

Page 1:
http://public.fotki.com/ejmc/ibc/temp/r3s3p1_img_4980.html

Page 2: http://public.fotki.com/ejmc/ibc/temp/r3s3p2_img_4981.html

Great performances tonight from Misa Kuranaga (Japan), Brooklyn Mack (USA), and Daniil Siimkin as well as numerous others.

Kim Ji A was attending on crutches instead of in her wheelchair so she continues to improve.

Here is the official list of competitiors that are requred to be at the press conference at 10:00 Friday morning where the medalist will be announced (and the checks presented). This is from the lobby of the Judges hotel as posted just after 3:00 AM.



Watch for the press release on the USAIBC.com web site about noon Friday (CDT). I will post pictures from that news conference Friday afternoon.

I'm absolutely surprised not to see Natalia Domracheva's name on this list, because I'm assuming this is the list of the award winners, who will be dancing at the gala.

We are all surprised/shocked that Domracheva is not on the list. We are also missing Alexandr Buber whom we all had picked for a medal. There were lots of good senior men this year so it is easier for us to justiy him missing, but many of us thougt Domracheva was the strongest senior female. We cannot believe she is not getting any medal.

Maybe there is something we don't know or maybe the judges missed the second session...

Buber was very strong when I saw him in a competition last year. As for the women, having seen Domratcheva dance last year, and knowing many of the other senior female dancers, I didn't think she was THE gold medalist type but definitely either bronze or sliver.... I am very surprised.

Medalists and Award Winners:

Men's Senior Gold Medalist
Daniil Simkin, Germany

Women's Senior Gold Medalist
Misa Kuranaga, Japan

Men's Senior Silver Medalist
Brooklyn Mack, USA

Women's Senior Silver Medalist
Jurgita Dronina, Lithuania

Men's Senior Bronze Medalists (tie)
Joseph Gatti, USA
Masayoshi Onuki, Japan

Women's Senior Bronze Medalist
Yui Yonezawa, Japan

*********

Men's Junior Gold Medalist
Isaac Hernandez, Mexico

Women's Junior Gold Medalist
not awarded

Men's Junior Silver Medalist
Denys Cherevychko, Ukraine

Women's Junior Silver Medalist
Sae-Eun Park, South Korea

Men's Junior Bronze Medalist
Jeffrey Cirio, USA

Woman's Junior Bronze Medalists (tie)
Kayo Sasabe, Japan
Christine Shevchenko, USA

Cash prizes accompany medals.

*************

Special Awards and Scholarships:

Best Junior Couple
Mathias Dingman, USA and Sasha De Sola, USA

Best Senior Couple
Davit Karapetyan, Armenia and Vanessa Zahorian (non-competing)

Choreography Award
Ben Iida for "September"

Robert Joffrey Award of Merit
Marija Kicevska, Senior (Macedonia)

Jury Awards of Enrouragement:

Female
Francesca Dugarte, Junior (Venezuela)
Caitlin Valentine, Senior (USA)

Male
Ryo Izawa, Junior (Japan)
Zherlin Ndudi, Senior (Ukraine)

Tutu.Com Award:
Misa Kuranaga, Senior (Japan)

TutusDivine Award:
Daniil Simkin, Senior (Germany)

Contract with Miami City Ballet:
Elena Kazakova, Junior (Russia)
Carolyn Rose Ramsey, Senior (Canada)

Ballet International Award:
Isaac Hernandez, Junior (Mexico)

Great Hope Prize:
Toshiro Muraoka-Abbley, Junior (USA)

************

Awards will be presented at the BellSouth Awards Gala on Saturday, July 1 at 7:00 p.m.

The Capezio Encore Gala, featuring the medal winners, will be held on Sunday, July 2 at 7:30 p.m.

In the Friday, June 30 Clarion-Ledger, Billy Watkins talks to competitors about food:

Clarion-Ledger

Sherry Lucas reports on the Medalists and Award Winners Announcements:

Clarion-Ledger

Wow! Congratulations to all the winners and competitors. I saw Misa Kuranaga dance Lise in Fille this past March with Boston Ballet, and was impressed by not only her musicality and obvious technical chops, but how well she got the English style down. Alexander Grant, who was staging the ballet, was apparently quite taken with her, too. On top of that, she's about the most normal, unassuming dancer I've ever met. A few of us were having drinks with her after a show, and I remembered she was telling us about her summer plans, including the Jackson IBC in an Aw-shucks-I'll-try-and-see-what-happens kind of tone, but it looks like she's been working very hard at it since.

--Andre

Roster for Round III, Session 1 (Classical/Contemporary), Tuesday, June 27, 2006, 7:30 p.m.:

Ryo Izawa (Japan) -- Junior
Classical solos: La Sylphide, Act II/Sleeping Beauty Act III variation
Contemporary solo: "Memory"
Music: "Romance" from "The Pearl Fishers"
Composer: Bizet
Choreographer: Kazuyo Sekita

Isaac Hernandez (Mexico) -- Junior
Classical solos: La Sylphide, Act II/La Bayadere
Contemporary solo: "Reggaetone"
Music: Reggaetone
Composer: Gabriele Guma
Choreographer: Christopher Fleming

Francesca Dugarte (Venezuela) and noncompeting partner Nicolai Olyunin
-- Junior
Classical Pas de deux: Le Corsaire
Contemporary Pas de deux: "Corrientes"
Music: Nondik jo Maurizia?
Composer: Kepa Junkera
Choreographer: William Alcala

Adiarys Almeida Santana (Cuba) and Joseph Michael Gatti (USA) -- Senior
Classical Pas de deux: Le Corsaire
Contemporary Pas de deux: "Nothing"
Music: Nothing
Composer: Nikka Costa
Choreographer: Jamal Story

Masayoshi Onuki (Japan) -- Senior
Classical solos: Grand Pas Classique/Sleeping Beauty, Act III
Contemporary solo: "Mañana"
Music: Praeludium and Allegro
Composer: Fritz Kreisler
Choreographer: Hiroaki Kumagai

Eddy Tovar (Cuba) -- Senior
Classical solos: Le Corsaire/Esmeralda
Contemporary solo: "No Exit"
Music: Defect 2: Curiosidade
Composer: Tom Ze
Choreographer: Gilberto Mendes

Keigo Fukuda (Japan) -- Senior
Classical solos: Nutcracker/Esmeralda
Contemporary solo: "Butterfly"
Music: Butterfly
Composer: Celtic Woman
Choreographer: Keiko Yagami

Yui Yonezawa (Japan) and noncompeting partner Georgi Smilevski -- Senior
Classical Pas de deux: Le Corsaire
Contemporary Pas de deux: "Vertical Horizon"
Music: Facades (from the film, "Evidence")
Composer: Philip Glass
Choreographer: Vladmir Angelov

Janessa Touchet (USA) and Cervilio Miguel Amador (Cuba) -- Senior
Classical Pas de deux: Le Corsaire
Contemporary Pas de deux: "Remix 03"
Music: Saxophone Concerto
Composer: Philip Glass
Choreographer: Viktor Kabaniaev

Davit Karapetyan (Armenia) and noncompeting partner Vanessa Zahorian -- Senior
Classical Pas de deux: Le Corsaire
Contemporary Pas de deux: "Black and White"
Music: Orchestroon
Composer: Vivaldi
Choreographer: Davit Karapetyan

I'm back from the medals announcement - Francis Timlin has posted those here. I will have pictures on the site as soon as I can get them sorted out.

When asked why no one got the Grand Prix award (i.e. Simkin) Bruce Simpson spoke for the judges saying what they look for in a Grand Prix award is more than just a great dancer but someone who can be the leader of one of the world's great ballet companies. No one fit that bill this year. He didn't say it but many of us in the audience believe 19 year old Daniil Simkin may be one at that level in a few years.

I talked to Natalia Domracheva after all the announcements. She was crushed and rightly so. She was probably the strongest senor female but got no award. Many people thought her Don Q in the first round was the best one this year. Her modern dances were great. While I was talking to her she was approached by a representative of the Shanghai IBC asking her to apply for their competition next year. I also understand that today she was invited to audition with the A.B.T. She was all smiles before the press conference and interviews broke up.

The rumor is that some of the judges thought her modern dance in the third round was too provocative and they therefore would not consider her for an award. They are referring to her Pas de Deux titled “Not Bad for the Beginning” where she wore red shorts and a red top and was resisting flirtations from her partner. It was fun and well done – I am sure this conservative Southern U.S. audience was not offended. Such is life. She has a great career ahead of her!

The other person to watch is junior Jeffrey Cirio (15 year old from Pennsylvania). He was dressed up for the news conference and when they announced him for the Junior Bronze he stood up and walked down the row shaking the hand of every Juror. Other competitors took his que and shook the judges hands after that. He is well coached in more than just dancing.

Going to the ball tonight – maybe I will have more news after that. Got to get a little sleep somtime...