OBS Faculty received the Outstanding Teacher Award
Edmonds, WA – An outstanding number of aspiring young dancers from Olympic Ballet School (OBS) are invited to compete at American Dance Competition | Youth International Ballet Competition (ADC|IBC) and International Ballet Competition Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Finals this spring.
Dancers as young as nine can compete in these highly acclaimed international ballet competitions that provide opportunities for solo performances and potential scholarships and placement at top ballet schools in the nation. Students can enter one or several divisions by submitting their audition videos. Those competing in the classical ballet division select variations from a classical repertoire list of famous ballets such as Coppelia, Don Quixote, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, and others. For the contemporary dance division, students perform original works often choreographed specifically for them by their teachers. Groups of two or more students can compete in the ensemble division. After successfully competing in the semi-finals, OBS students are now advancing into the finals in both competitions. Additionally, OBS faculty, led by Mara Vinson and Oleg Gorboulev, received the Outstanding Teacher Award at the Seattle regionals this year.
ADC|IBC – St. Petersburg, Florida (March 26 – April 1, 2022)
Students invited to compete in classical and contemporary divisions: Hikari Gorbouleva (9), Yevgeni Gorboulev (13), Emma Spicer (13), Alicia Heyer (15), Kaeli Pierce (15), Anna Foy (16).
Additionally, students completing in ensemble division (ages 9-14): Isa Carbajal, Hikari Gorbouleva, Yevgeni Gorboulev, Matilda Hartung, Hannah Keith, Sofia Khodzinsky, Genevive Myers, Emma Spicer, and Ella Zeallear.
YAGP (April) – Tampa, Florida (April 12 – 19, 2022)
Students invited to compete at YAGP: Yevgeni Gorboulev (13) in classical and contemporary, plus ensemble dancers (ages 9-14): Alexis Azel, Isa Carbajal, Hikari Gorbouleva, Yevgeni Gorboulev, Matilda Hartung, Sofia Khodzinsky, Genevieve Myers, Emma Spicer, Ella Zeallear.
OBS is thrilled to have so many students selected for the finals after two challenging years of the pandemic. With studios and theaters shut down, and performances canceled, young dancers missed many training and learning opportunities. But despite the restrictions, the school continued operating, initially switching to virtual classes, then transitioning into small groups to allow for distancing in the studios, and finally, resuming regular classes with safety precautions. Through the perseverance and dedication of students, faculty, and families, the training kept on going, leading this group of dancers to the finals in Florida.
OBS provides students with classical ballet training based predominantly on the Vaganova methodology. “Our aim is to prepare the graduates with a solid education so that they have choices if they decide to pursue a professional career in dance, whether as a performing artist, instructor, or in another avenue of the field,” said OBS Co-artistic Directors Mara Vinson and Oleg Gorboulev. Students who are particularly dedicated to studying the art of ballet are encouraged to join the OBS competition team and audition ballet competitions, such as ADC|IBC and YAGP.
Vinson and Gorboulev strongly believe in the benefits of participating in these competitions to allow students to expand their knowledge of the classical ballet repertoire, experience highly focused training, and accelerate their growth with private instruction. Students perfect their technique, get experience in solo and ensemble performance opportunities and develop a special camaraderie with friends who also aspire to dance professionally. “Ultimately, the process of preparing for competitions is so beneficial for students who wish to become professional dancers as it enriches what is learned in the daily curriculum and provides direct training in the workplace – from the studio to the stage!”
Summer Intensive Scholarships/Acceptances
OBS students also successfully auditioned and have received full scholarships to attend the following summer intensives:
- Yevgeni Gorboulev – The Rock School for Dance (education, full tuition, plus room and board)
- Kaeli Pierce – Boston Ballet School
- Emma Spicer – The Harid Conservatory
Other students have received partial scholarships to the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Joffrey Ballet School, The Rock School for Dance Education, and acceptance into San Francisco Ballet School, American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, Colorado Ballet School, and Ellison Ballet.
OBS Summer Intensive
OBS proudly offers Summer Intensives for young dancers interested in improving their technique over the summer. Auditions are scheduled on Saturday, April 23, 2022, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Olympic Ballet School Studios at 700 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020. Audition fee is $25; pre-registration required. To register, email dance@olympicballet.com.
More information about OBS summer programs can be found on our website at https://www.olympicballet.com/summer/ , Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/olympicballettheatre_obt/) , and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OlympicBalletTheatre .
ABOUT OLYMPIC BALLET SCHOOL
Founded over 40 years ago, Olympic Ballet School, the official school of Olympic Ballet Theatre, maintains a long-established reputation as the leading school of classical ballet in the North Puget Sound. From its inception under John and Helen Wilkins, Olympic Ballet School has been committed to providing a thorough ballet education to its students, while instilling a life-long appreciation of the art form. In June of 2011, former Pacific Northwest Ballet & Moscow Classical Ballet artists, Mara Vinson & Oleg Gorboulev, became the new Artistic Directors of Olympic Ballet Theatre & Olympic Ballet School. Under their direction, the school provides professional level training for all students, whatever their professional aspirations may be.
ABOUT ADC|IBC
ADC|IBC is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3), Youth International Scholarship Ballet Competition for all nationalities, ages 9-21, that was formed in 2005. Over the last decade, the organization has developed into a leader in its field with an ever-growing network that helps connect and facilitate the progress of professional training. The event serves as an annual meeting ground for dancers, teachers, directors, choreographers, professionals, dance media, vendors and dance lovers. With more than $250,000 in scholarship funds being awarded each year through the collaborative efforts of our Scholarship Partners, we are able to carry out our nonprofit mission to place students into professional training programs.
ABOUT YAGP
Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is the world’s largest global network of dance. It fulfills its mission of dance education through scholarship auditions, master classes, alumni services, educational and outreach activities, performances, and films. YAGP reaches over 12,000 dance students annually by holding workshops, scholarship auditions, master classes, and audition classes in 25 U.S. cities and 8 international locations. Each season culminates in the week-long New York Finals, where more than 1,200 of the world’s most promising dancers receive in-depth mentoring and greater scholarship, professional, and performance opportunities. The New York Finals closing night “Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow” Gala features the students showing the most potential alongside the stars of today’s leading dance companies.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
For further information, interview requests, and photos, please contact: Katya Turnbow, marketing@olympicballet.org, 206.484.3724
OLYMPIC BALLET SCHOOL
700 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 | 425.774.7570 | OlympicBallet.com