The 10th Helsinki International Ballet Competition will be held at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet from May 28 to June 5, 2026.
The competition program consists of both classical and contemporary repertoire. In Round I all competitors present classical variations and in Round II a contemporary piece. In the Final round (Round III) competitors will perform both classical variations and contemporary repertoire. The application period for the competition is 1.11.2025–31.1.2026.
Competition Categories
HIBC 2026 has three divisions:
- Juniors (ages 15 to 18)
- Young Professionals (ages 19 to 21)
- Seniors (ages 22 to 25)
Gender categories will be discontinued in the 2026 competitions.
Competition Rounds
- First Round (28 to 30 May, 2026)
- Competitors perform two variations from the classical ballet repertoire
- Second Round (1 to 2 June, 2026)
- Competitors perform a contemporary dance piece choreographed after 2020
- Competitors can perform either a solo or a duet
- Finals (3 to 4 June, 2026)
- Competitors perform either two classical variations or one pas de deux, as well as one contemporary dance piece
- Gala and Prize Ceremony (5 June, 2026)
- Highlights from competition performances along with guest dancers
- Prize Ceremony
The Jury
Javier Torres, the Artistic Director of the Finnish National Ballet, is the President of the HIBC Jury. The members of the jury will be announced in spring 2026.
Prizes
The Organizer
The organizer of HIBC is the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association. The chair of the board is Hannele Niiranen-Mattsson.
Read more about the HIBC Association >>
History of the Competition
The first Helsinki International Ballet Competition was held in 1984. The competition was founded by Professor Doris Laine.