The Helsinki International Ballet Competition began more than 40 years ago. What all has taken place in the competition’s history?
Timo Sokura, a long-standing dance professional and a board member of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association, talks about the competition over the decades.
In this history, I attempt to tell something about the competitions and their arrangements over the years and decades. I have had the pleasure of being involved in all but one of the competitions in various roles.
For the purpose of these recollections, I have reviewed the minutes and other materials of the dance section of the Finnish Centre of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) at the Theatre Museum, and the minutes and other archive materials of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association at the Alexander Theatre, where the association has maintained a small office room. I have been in contact with the general secretaries and competition directors of all the competitions and asked them for comments on the competitions. Quotes are included from the ballet competition programs. I also contacted all the Grand Prix winners I could find and asked them for comments on the competition and its significance in their professional careers. Additionally, I interviewed Riitta Seppälä, director of the Finnish Centre of the ITI, and Liisa Härö, assistant to many directors of the National Ballet, both of whom have significantly influenced the competition and its success. I requested greetings from the chairs of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association.
And I cannot help but share personal experiences of the colorful stages of the competitions. At the same time, it will be revealed how the Second World War relates to ballet competitions, or why one should be careful near wind orchestras and how the ballet competition relates to the Finnish Christmas tradition.
Prologue
What was the world like when the first competition began to be planned in the early 80s? It had been over 30 years since the Second World War and Europe was divided in two, Berlin even by a wall. The different sides, the Eastern and Western blocs, had diverged and isolated themselves far from each other. Cultural exchange, studying abroad, traveling, and many other things taken for granted today were significantly more difficult then. An example could be my own place of study, the MUDRA school in Brussels at the turn of the 70s and 80s: 49 students from 19 different countries were accepted for the first year, but only one was from the Eastern Bloc, from former Czechoslovakia.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was founded immediately after the war in 1945, and several organizations for different areas of culture were also established under it. One of these was the ITI, International Theatre Institute (founded in 1948), to facilitate cultural exchange and artist visits, among other things. Each of the 92 member countries of the ITI has its own ITI center, and the organization was structurally divided into different committees, such as the Music Theatre, Playwright, and Dance Committees, one of whose tasks was to help international ballet competitions regarding travel restrictions, so that the competitions would be truly international.
International ballet competitions had been organized much earlier, the first competitions in Varna, Bulgaria, as early as 1964. The basis for the first Helsinki competition was also the National Ballet Competition held at the Kuopio Dance Festival in 1978 and the Nordic Competition for Young Dancers in 1982. At that time, the artistic director of the Kuopio festival was Doris Laine.
Main Roles
How does the competition progress from the dancer’s perspective? Of course, the number one thing is the decision to enter the competition, finding a coach/rehearsal assistant, choosing variations and contemporary dance numbers, searching for music, practicing, acquiring performance costumes, and securing performance permits for music and choreographies, long before the start of the competition. The competition application requires a report on education, competition repertoire, a headshot, and (nowadays) a video recording of a variation. With the help of these videos, a pre-selection jury consisting of dance professionals selects the competitors who are accepted into the competition. After that, the music for all performances is delivered to the competition office.
When the competition begins, the dancer registers at the competition office, located either in the competitors’ hotel or at the Opera. At the same time, the repertoire announced in advance for the competition is checked. All competitors are accommodated by the competition in a hotel for the entire duration of the competition. Thus, even eliminated dancers can attend the competition’s training classes and watch the performances of others.
In some Helsinki competitions, masterclasses have been held for eliminated competitors; in others, one of the jury members has given feedback on the performance, and sometimes an opportunity has been organized for eliminated competitors to perform their contemporary dance numbers in an open public performance held on the Esplanade stage.
In addition to the every-morning training classes, the competition program includes at least one hour of practice time per day in the rehearsal room. In addition, each competitor receives 15-20 minutes of stage rehearsal time in the 1st round for their two variations. Before the rehearsal time, the dancer is asked once more for the order of the variations and the start of each variation—whether the number starts with music, from the starting position, or from a movement cue.
3–5 different-toned lighting setups have been built in advance for the competition, from which the dancer chooses the one they want. This can, of course, be changed when the lights are seen during the actual rehearsal. Dance experts note down this information and relay it to the opera’s performance manager, who cues the light, sound, and stage technology on when the light changes, music starts, etc. Sometimes a young competitor may have come from far away alone, and deciding on lights may feel difficult; for this, experienced and qualified rehearsal assistants are ready to help and support the dancer so that the atmosphere in rehearsals is as safe as possible for the dancer.
It has been very interesting to see over the years how different dancers approach their stage rehearsal. Someone comes to the rehearsal alone, chooses a suitable light, walks through their variation in terms of space usage, and leaves satisfied. Another may come with 1-2 teachers/coaches and use their rehearsal time precisely down to the last minute.
The Jury
The competition jury is selected by the chairperson of the jury through their own contacts. Since the beginning of the competitions, the chairperson of the jury has been the Artistic Director of the Finnish National Ballet. The judges have been ballet directors, famous dancers, teachers, or choreographers. In their meetings before the competition, the jury decides the guidelines for their evaluation; sometimes points are given to the dancer as a whole, sometimes points are given separately for dance technique, artistry, etc. After each competition evening, the highest and lowest scores given are dropped, and an average is calculated from the rest, which is the dancer’s result. If two dancers have the same number of points, the jury discusses and decides which of the dancers is ranked ‘higher’.
“Working as a judge interests many when desired judges are asked. A ten-day absence from actual work in the middle of the performance season always poses a challenge. The jury decides the point scale in its meeting before the competition; sometimes points have been given from one to ten, sometimes from one to five. A judge is not allowed to evaluate dancers working in the same institution as the judge. Dancers who have worked in the same institution before the competition or have been trained by the judge may be evaluated by the judges according to their conscience.” Liisa Härö, in the jury secretariat/as secretary 1995–2022.
Warm-up
If the Helsinki International Ballet Competition had to be summarized in two words, they would be Doris Laine. The competition would never have been organized without Doris. Another legendary figure in the history of the competitions is the director of the early competitions, the director of the Finnish ITI center, Riitta Seppälä. This is how she remembers Doris Laine and the events before the first competition:
“Doris Laine has left a permanent mark on Finnish dance art and cultural policy more broadly. After a brilliant career as a prima ballerina, she had another equally brilliant career as an influential figure in dance and as a ballet director in Finland and Berlin. As a retiree, she devoted all her energy to strengthening the structures and funding of Finnish dance art and internationalizing the field.
During her solo visits to numerous countries, she had created an extensive international network. These connections were strengthened and grew when Doris joined the activities of the ITI, operating within the framework of Unesco, in the 70s and was elected as a member of the board and secretary of the ITI Dance Committee. Within the Dance Committee, topics such as international ballet competitions were discussed, in whose juries the linguistically gifted and energetic Doris had served since 1965, and by 1984 already about twenty times. As a member of the juries of the Varna, Jackson, and Moscow competitions, Doris had seen how many dancers’ international careers gained momentum from competitions.”
“Doris also wanted to strengthen the internationalization of Finnish dancers, and in the early 1980s, she proposed to the Finnish ITI Centre the organization of an international ballet competition in Helsinki. The grandiose idea did not initially receive the slightest support from the Finnish ITI Centre, on whose board Doris was the only representative of dance. Where would the facilities come from, where the money, where the competitors, and who would agree to organize the event? Convinced that the project would not be realized, the board finally gave Doris permission to try.”
“Doris went to work. She negotiated with the Helsinki City Theatre and received a promise of facilities for a two-week competition after Midsummer in June-July 1984. The hefty costs did not discourage Doris. That money just had to be acquired. Doris was in contact with the Ministry of Education and the Mayor of Helsinki, explaining the significance of the competition and the funding needs in personal meetings. Next, Doris asked for help from her friend Aatos Erkko, and together they created a funding strategy for the competition. With Erkko’s help, Doris also gained contacts in the business world and acquired sponsors for the competition. She also met with the agents and chairpersons of the boards of all the major foundations that fund culture.”
“When the project was next presented to the Finnish ITI, a preliminary promise of support had been received from the ministry, the City of Helsinki, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, and the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, Sanoma OY, Kansallis-Osake-Pankki, Nokia, Kone, and Finnair. The staff of the Finnish ITI Centre office was committed to the project and took both financial and organizational responsibility for the event, whose budget was many times our center’s usual annual budget. The board was left with no choice but to approve Doris’s proposal.” Riitta Seppälä, competition director 1984–1991.
Discipline, Strength and Beauty
The Premiere
June 25 – July 8, 1984, International Ballet Competition at the Helsinki City Theatre.
Organized by the Finnish Centre of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) and the Union of Finnish Dance Artists.
Jury: Yuri Grigorovich (Soviet Union), Robert Joffrey (United States), Jeanne Brabants (Belgium), Alexander Grant (United Kingdom), André-Philippe Hersin (France), Vera Kirova (Bulgaria), Maria Krzyszkowska (Poland), Doris Laine (Finland), Gabriella Lakatos (Hungary), Hans Meister (Switzerland), Kirsten Ralov (Denmark), Elsa Marianne von Rosen (Sweden), Dietmar Seyffert (German Democratic Republic), and Konstanze Vernon (Federal Republic of Germany).
Competition Committee Chairperson: Doris Laine, Director of the National Opera Ballet.
Competition Office Director: Riitta Seppälä, Director of the Finnish ITI Centre.
Prizes:Senior Women: 1. Natalia Chekhovskaya (Soviet Union) 2. Kirsi Aromaa (Finland) 3. Sylvie Guillaumin (France)Senior Men: 1. Oliver Matz (German Democratic Republic) 2. Vadim Pisarev (Soviet Union) 3. Jukka Aromaa (Finland)Junior Girls: 1. Caroline Campo (Federal Republic of Germany) 2. Kirsten Lammersen (Federal Republic of Germany) 3. Kazumi Ushio (Japan)Junior Boys: No prizes awarded.
Choreography Prizes: 1. Eddy Toussaint (Canada) 3. Nina Marttinen (Finland) and Ysabelle Taylor (United Kingdom).
Out of nearly a hundred applicants, 74 competitors were accepted for the first competition; after cancellations, there were finally 62 competitors from 17 different countries. Participants were chosen as recommended by the ITI centers of different countries, ballet directors, or teachers. The ITI International Dance Committee also approved the competition rules. The success of the host country’s own participants was good: Kirsi Aromaa was second in the women’s senior series, Jukka Aromaa third in the senior men’s, and Nina Marttinen in a shared third place in the choreography competition.
Right in the first competition, the awardees also received magnificent award statues called L’oiseau du Feu (Firebird), designed by the great dance lover and visual artist Laila Pullinen. The statues designed by Pullinen were originally intended to be placed in a larger size outside near the (future) new Opera House. After this plan fell through, the ballet competition acquired the fine statues in miniature as prizes. Pullinen finished all the prize statues by hand herself.
“Ballet had interested her since childhood. According to her, classical ballet’s adherence to the absolute nature of the rules is significant for maintaining the tradition of classical art. Pullinen sees ballet as the last art form that brings before us a human figure striving for spirituality, discipline, strength, and beauty.” Virpi Nikkari (in the book Laila Pullinen Drawings and Poems).
Dancers in the junior category had to be 15–19 years old at the start of the competition and seniors 20–26 years old. The competition was held at the Helsinki City Theatre because there was no other large enough stage in Helsinki for an international competition at that time. Negotiations for the use of the theatre were likely eased by the fact that the theatre director Ralf Långbacka was also the chairperson of the Finnish ITI Centre at the same time.
Thanks to her contacts, Doris Laine had invited a significant group of top names in the dance field to the jury, and the jury list included many legends of the ballet world of that time.
There were three rounds in the competition, and according to the rules, classical numbers were danced in the first round, ‘a piece of modern ballet or a solo whose choreography was made after 1950’ in the second round, and classical ballet and ‘a scene or solo from a dance work made after 1974’ in the third round. At that time, newer choreographies did not necessarily mean modern or contemporary dance, which were rare in some of the competing countries then; I remember someone even dancing a Ukrainian folk-dance-based Gopak in the second round.
In the festive opening ceremony on the large stage of the theatre, the Helsinki Garrison Band performed, and the greeting from the organizing body was brought by Ralf Långbacka. The competition was opened by Minister of Education Kaarina Suonio, the city’s greeting was brought by Deputy Mayor Anna-Liisa Hyvönen, and the jury and competitors were introduced by the competition host, Artist Professor Heikki Värtsi.
Help for the competition arrangements was obtained from many sources; for example, lessons for the Attache training for volunteers were obtained from the World Athletics Championships held in Helsinki in 1983.
The first competition was a truly magnificent success. The ITI International Dance Committee accepted the Helsinki International Ballet Competition among the official competitions, i.e., into the same prestigious group as Varna, Moscow, and Jackson. An example of the success was also the publicity received by dance: the meritoriously preserved newspaper clippings take up 90 pages of an A3-sized scrapbook. I wonder if as much has been written about any dance event in this country before or since? Admittedly, at that time, many newspapers had a culture or even a dance editor, unlike now.
In addition to judging, a lot of side programs had been organized for the jury: A visit to Smolna as a guest of Minister of Education Kaarina Suonio, a sightseeing tour in Helsinki, a trip to Suomenlinna and Hämeenlinna, where the city organized a reception, a reception at the United States Embassy, a cruise on a sailing boat and an excursion lunch in the archipelago, visits to the Theatre Museum, Sanomala, the Arabia factories, Hvitträsk, the Riihimäki Glass Museum, and the Rajamäki Factory Museum. During the competition, a meeting of the ITI International Dance Committee was also held. Quite full days for the judges! At that time, the competition lasted 14 days. For the entire competition crowd, a trip to Haikko Manor on the ship J. L. Runeberg, lunch, and a return trip by bus were organized on a day off.
This is how Riitta Seppälä remembers the course of the competition:
“Together we succeeded in realizing the competition with all honors, even with praise and without loss. The audience came in the summer heat and filled the large auditorium of the city theatre night after night. None of us will ever forget the ballet ‘duel’ between East Germany’s Oliver Matz and the Soviet Union’s Vadim Pisarev on the final night! The competition staff extended themselves to the work session required by the event without counting hours or efforts. But so did Doris. She was a buddy and a colleague for whom no work task was too worthless. We needed her; she was the only one who had experience from other competitions. In the bustle of the competition, Doris achieved our genuine admiration and respect. During the day, she socialized in all languages with judges, VIP guests, and the press, sat in the jury in formal wear during performances, and spent nights with us with the hems of her evening gown rolled up, making rehearsal schedules, the next day’s evening program, and bulletins for competitors. At that time, there were no text templates on computers, but all paperwork was done at night. Nights stretched to five and six in the morning before everything was ready for the next day.” Riitta Seppälä, competition director 1984–1991.
A thank-you letter was sent to all competitors after the competition on July 19, 1984:
“Dear friend, We would like to thank you for your participation in the International Ballet Competition. Our lives feel empty after the competition, and that is why we have been browsing through photographs taken of the competition, of which we would also like to send one to you as a souvenir. We wish you all the best in your life and career. Sincerely, Finnish Centre of ITI and PTU (Nordic Theatre Union).”
In the first competition, I was involved in the ranks of Yleisradio, interviewing competitors and the jury for a TV program in progress. From 42 years ago, the competition numbers that have remained best in mind are Canada’s Anik Bissonnette and Louis Robitaille, especially their modern choreography, A Simple Moment by the choreography competition winner Eddy Toussaint to Albinoni’s music. Also memorable was the modern choreography Birdsong, made for herself by the Brit Ysabelle Taylor, whose sound background was only bird sounds—a bold and open-minded choice for an international competition!
Technical skill and artistic expression
Act 2
June 27 – July 7, 1991, ITI International Ballet Competition at the Helsinki City Theatre. Organized by the Finnish Centre of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) and the Nordic Theatre Union (PTU).
Jury: Doris Laine (Finland, chairperson), Bruce Marks (United States), Heinz Spoerli (Switzerland), Alberto Alonso Raynieri (Cuba), Patricia Aulestia de Alba (Mexico), Huang Bohong (China), Nils Åke Häggbom (Sweden), Vera Kirova (Bulgaria), Maria Kondratjeva (Soviet Union), Gustavo Mollajoli (Argentina), Yoko Morishita (Japan), Lynn Wallis (United Kingdom), and Konstanze Vernon (Federal Republic of Germany).
Competition Committee Chairperson: Doris Laine.
Competition Office Director: Riitta Seppälä.
Prizes:Senior Women: 1. Not awarded 2. Barbara Bears (United States) 3. Suzanne Rubio (Canada)Senior Men: 1. Not awarded 2. Bakhitzan Smagulov (Soviet Union) 3. Aidar Akhmetov (Soviet Union)Junior Girls: 1. Pollyanna Ribeiro (Brazil) 2. Tan Yuanyuan (China) 3. Lei Zhao (China)Junior Boys: 1. Not awarded 2. Kim Savéus (Sweden) 3. Not awardedChoreography Prizes: 1. Robert North (United States) 2. Mark Godden (Canada) and Tero Saarinen (Finland)
“What does a ballet competition mean? While preparing for a competition, a dancer works purposefully to improve their technical skill and artistic expression. Even if the dancer is not awarded, they have progressed in their own career—which is a prize in itself. If they place, they gain the attention of choreographers, directors, and the press, which can open up many interesting work opportunities.” Doris Laine, in the 1991 competition program.
120 dancers applied for the second competition, 85 were accepted, and after injuries and other cancellations, 68 dancers arrived from 22 different countries. To the delight of Finnish spectators, Tero Saarinen’s Around a Circle was awarded a shared second place in the choreography competition; his talent was already evident then.
The age categories for competitors were changed for this competition: juniors were 15–18 years old and seniors 19–26 years old. A clear indication of the high level of Chinese dance was seen: three dancers participated for the first time, and two of them were awarded!
At the opening ceremony, the Guards Band played the Marshal’s Silver Horns and the Festive March to the Fatherland. The competition was opened by Artist Professor Ralf Långbacka, and a greeting was heard from Minister of Culture Tytti Isohookana-Asunmaa. As the competition host, I had the pleasure of introducing the competitors and the jury in three languages.
In the second competition, my duties as a producer, in addition to hosting, included acting as the coordinator for rehearsal rooms and stage rehearsals, supervisor of stage rehearsals, and allocator of competitors’ dressing rooms—after all, it was necessary for the media to know where dancers could be found at any given time. These activities lasted until 04:00 or 05:00 in the morning between different rounds. After a round ended, the jury might go to dinner and only then start considering who would advance—and so the results were sometimes obtained at 02:00, at which point we could start building the next morning’s rehearsal schedule and creating the evening’s program leaflet. There were no computers at that time, and everything was done by hand. Fortunately, there was good company in the Teatterikulma office: Anneli Suur-Kujala, the press officer for the ITI and the ballet competition, was busy making program leaflets.
In connection with this competition, the Union of Finnish Dance Artists organized a Finnish Dance Evening for the competitors and the jury. The evening was a great success, although a simpler venue for the performance could have been found; the location was Tenalji von Fersen in Suomenlinna, which of course required significant construction for stages and heating.
I remember well my surprise when, once on my way home at 04:00 in the morning, I was tasked with taking the list of those who advanced and the morning’s rehearsal schedule to the dancers’ hotel. I assumed this task would be handled in an empty hotel lobby, but nearly all the dancers and coaches had been waiting for the list to arrive almost through the entire night.
Some nice little surprises were also experienced: among the office staff, we got to present a certificate to the “Staff’s Favourite” dancer. Maria Ambra Vallo from Italy was the clear choice with her positive energy. The biggest surprise for myself was a certificate signed by the jury with the title “Best Speaker” at the gala after-party. Still, many thanks for the help to competition secretary Eva Jarne-Kautto, who, thanks to her excellent French skills, was an invaluable aid when planning the announcements according to etiquette!
I will tell more about hosting later, but I was very happy with the feedback I received from the first hosting gig already:
“En stor och vacker ros förtjänar Danskonstnärsförbundets ordförande Timo Sokura som var språkkunnig, saklig och charmant konferencier vid alla föreställningar.” (A large and beautiful rose is deserved by the chairperson of the Union of Finnish Dance Artists, Timo Sokura, who was a linguistically skilled, professional, and charming master of ceremonies at all performances.) Suzanne Järnefelt, Hufvudstadsbladet July 8, 1991.
“At the opening of the competition on the large stage of the City Theatre, I was waiting backstage for the Guards Band’s Marshal’s Silver Horns fanfare to end. We had agreed that I would walk through a narrow passage between the curtain and the wall to host the opening as the orchestra exited.
I started moving as the music ended along the dim passage—and I almost walked into a tuba! The orchestra was exiting the stage through the same passage, and a collision was near. I retreated running, went around through the scenery, and made it to the hosting light in time.
Fortunately, the nervousness of hosting disappeared while I was running. That Marshal’s Silver Horns heard at the opening is likely familiar to all Finns, as it plays every Christmas Eve in connection with the Declaration of Christmas Peace in Turku.”
Great experience
Act 3
Helsinki International Ballet Competition, June 11–21, 1995, at the Finnish National Opera. Organized by the Theatre Information Centre – ITI Finland.
Competition Committee Chairperson: Doris Laine.
Competition Director: Riitta Seppälä.
Jury: Frank Andersen (Sweden), Oscar Araiz (Argentina), Michaël Denard (Germany), Bruce Marks (United States), Maya Plisetskaya (Russia), György Szakály (Hungary), Ruriko Tachikawa (Japan), Helgi Tomasson (Iceland), Jorma Uotinen (Finland, chairperson), and Carla Fracci (Italy).
Prizes:Grand Prix Helsingin Sanomat: Barbora Kohoutková (Czech Republic)Senior Women: 1. Egle Spokaite (Lithuania) 2. Katja Björner (Sweden) and Nina Hyvärinen (Finland)Senior Men: 1. Andrei Ivanov (Russia) 2. Daryl Brandwood (Australia) 3. Jonas Lundqvist (Finland)Junior Girls: 1. Barbora Kohoutková (Czech Republic) 2. Zhang Jian (China) 3. Elisabeth Mertz (United States)Junior Boys: 1. Han Po (China) 2. Stanislav Jermakov (Estonia) 3. Amilcar Moret (Cuba) and Michael Eaton (United States).Choreography Prizes: Philip Morris Choreography Prize: Ntsikelelo G. Cekwana (South Africa), Krzysztof Pastor (Poland), Daryl Brandwood (Australia). Philip Morris Encouragement Prize: Mei Wang (China).
Morning class teachers for competitors: Philip Beamish and Piotr Nardelli.
A total of 220 dancers from 44 countries applied for the competition, 123 of them were selected, and after cancellations, 79 dancers participated. The Finnish competitors delighted once again: Nina Hyvärinen danced to shared second place for senior women, and Jonas Lundqvist to third place for men. The competition medalists were again awarded statues named L’oiseau du Feu (Firebird) by artist Laila Pullinen.
After the previous competition, Doris Laine had moved to lead the Komische Oper Ballet in Berlin, but she returned to Helsinki in time to follow the competition as an esteemed Honorary Chairperson—and to defend the interests of the entire field of art like a lion in the Arts Council of Finland.
The third Helsinki International Ballet Competition was held in the magnificent new Opera House opened in 1993, as were all subsequent competitions. The competition rules were changed so that in the first round, all competitors performed two variations. In the two previous competitions, dancers could choose to perform either two variations or one pas de deux. The first round was danced in the Almi Hall and the next two on the Opera’s Main Stage.
A choreography competition was also held again, with a total of 55 choreographers participating according to the program. Competitors eliminated in the first or second round also had the opportunity to perform their choreography competition entries in separate afternoon matinees.
The legend of the competition and the winner of the Helsingin Sanomat Grand Prix was 16-year-old Barbora Kohoutková from the Czech Republic, who also succeeded in competitions in Paris, Lausanne, New York, Varna, and Brno. Barbora is a brilliant example of how much ballet competitions can mean for a dancer’s career: after finishing her studies in the Czech Republic, she joined the Finnish National Ballet at 17 and shone in leading roles for five years. I still remember well the Aurora variation from Act 1 of The Sleeping Beauty that Barbora danced in the competition. I have not seen such a skilled, thrilling, and captivating Aurora since.
In the 1995 competition, for the first time in the world, a betting opportunity for the audience on the winners of the senior categories was organized at any Veikkaus online point. “The popularity of the betting was great; even Veikkaus Oy was surprised by the popularity. The organizers of the competition were naturally not allowed to participate in the betting.” Liisa Härö, Jury Secretary.
”Helsinki International Ballet Competition has been a breaking point in my life and my future ballet career. After winning the First Prize and the Grand Prix, I got an offer from Jorma Uotinen to join the Finnish National Ballet, offering me the dream repertoire. I was only 16, I wanted to finish my studies at the Dance Conservatory in Prague, so I decided to do the last two years in one and graduated when I was 17 and joined the company when I was 17.
The competition was a great experience for me from many perspectives. In general, I think it’s very important for every student to attend a competition. It’s teaching you to handle stage fright, you can see students from different schools, differently trained, even just training, taking classes together is a great experience. I, coming from a post-communist country, was also amazed to see the conditions and the organization of the competition, which was on such a high level I have never experienced before. And the last but not least thing was the jury members who were the greatest personalities in the ballet world, including Maya Plisetskaya, Helgi Tomasson…
HIBC will remain a great memory in my life, and I wish the new generation of dancers courage, passion, sincerity, persistence, and to enjoy every moment this wonderful event has to offer.” Barbora Kohoutková, Grand Prix winner 1995.
“In this competition, I continued acting as producer and host with Mika Saarelainen. In the opening ceremony on the Almi Hall stage, the competitors were introduced in groups by country, with small flags that I remember were borrowed from Finlandia Hall. Shortly before the opening, it turned out that the Peruvian flag had been forgotten. So, it was just a matter of crafting a flag—luckily it was a relatively simple flag; all that was needed was a piece of paper and a red marker!”
Enjoyable moments for dance lovers
Act 4
May 26 – June 5, 2001, Helsinki International Ballet Competition & Choreography Competition at the Finnish National Opera. Organized by the Theatre Information Centre and the ITI Finnish Centre.
Competition Director: Riitta Seppälä.
Competition Secretary: Maaria Hohti.
Jury: Jorma Uotinen (Finland, chairperson), Anneli Alhanko (Sweden), Hae-Shik Kim (Korea), Lucien Duthoit (France), Lita Beiris (Latvia), Birgit Keil (Germany), Ryuro Mori (Japan), Simon Dow (United States), and Maharbek Vaziev (Russia).
Choreography Competition Judges: Jorma Uotinen (Finland, chairperson), Katrín Hall (Iceland), Samuel Wuerstein (Netherlands), and Renato Zanella (Austria).
Prizes:Helsinki Grand Prix: Yao Wei (China)Senior Women: 1. Not awarded 2. Hwang Hye Min (South Korea) 3. Not awardedSenior Men: 1. Zdenek Konvalina (Czech Republic) and Anton Korsakov (Russia) 2. Sergei Upkin (Estonia) 3. Wang Yi (China)Junior Girls: Nokia Prize for young talent: Fang Zhong-Jing (China) 2. Sarah Kora Dayanova (France) 3. Yoko Kaneta (Japan)Junior Boys: Nokia Prize for young talent: Thiago Bordin (Germany) 2. Yudai Fukuoka (Japan) 3. Huang Zhen (China).Choreography Prizes: Philip Morris Choreography Grand Prix: Cláudia Martins – Rafael Carrigo (Portugal). Philip Morris Choreography Award: Lára Stefansdottir (Iceland) and Arja Tiili (Finland). Nokia Award: Pontus Lindberg (Sweden). Young Talent Prize: Joseph Phillips (United States). The incentive award from the Union of Finnish Dance Artists (STTL) was always given to the best Finnish dancer, in this competition to Sara Vuorinen.
Morning class teachers for competitors: Piotr Nardelli and Juhani Teräsvuori.
In total, there were over 200 applicants this time. After karsinnat (selections) and unfortunate injuries, there were 72 competitors. There were 70 candidates for the choreography competition, 12 of whom were selected. According to the rules, the choreographies in the competition had to be set to Finnish music. The competition was a breakthrough for Chinese dancers: nine competitors participated, and four of them were awarded. The host country was delighted by Arja Tiili’s choreography prize.
Once again, Professor Laila Pullinen’s sculptures were awarded to the medalists; that year they were named L’oiseau bleu (The Bluebird).
“The Helsinki International Ballet Competition offers dance lovers enjoyable moments with both virtuosic classical ballet performances and modern dance and new millennium choreographies created to Finnish music. I believe that for young dancers from different countries, the competition is a great challenge: it offers participants a way to create useful contacts for their career, gain performance experience, and take first steps on international arenas, as well as learn from one another.” Tarja Halonen, President of the Republic, Patron of the competition 2001.
In this competition, the first round was danced in the Almi Hall, and already by the second round, the competition moved to the Opera’s Main Stage.
In connection with the 1995 competition, two public lectures were also held: The Dancer, Psyche, and Quality of Life as well as The Dancer’s Physical Strain and Overuse Injuries. Both important themes. During the competition, lunch was offered to the entire group of participants at Tenalji von Fersen in Suomenlinna. The trip to lunch was made by boat directly from the shore of the hotel Kalastajatorppa where the dancers were staying.
The breakthrough of information technology had occurred. We were again ready to make rehearsal schedules and evening program leaflets, and the long nights at Teatterikulma from previous years were on our minds. The results came, and a surprise: a few minutes later, the competition secretary at the time, Maaria Hohti, came out of her office with ready-made schedules! It’s amazing how development develops.
In the 2001 competition, I was the rehearsal coordinator and host. Hosting was interesting from the start. I had been doing theater and dance for a long time, smaller and larger speaking and dancing roles, but now I had to go on stage as myself, without costume or anything else to hide behind while trying to transform into someone else. When dancing, possible nervousness and energy are released as soon as you step on stage to dance, but while hosting, the nervousness initially felt like it stopped in the throat. Fortunately, I got used to this nervousness quite soon, and at the best moments, the feeling as a host was tingling; it felt as if the audience was in the palm of my hand and I could decide at what pace to lead the competition evening forward.
“I was also supervising stage rehearsals, so I could ask dancers how their names are correctly pronounced. Blunders do happen: one competition evening, one of the dancers performed their number to the music of Frédéric Chopin. I introduced the dancer and their number on stage: “Music Fédér (pause) Fédré (pause) Frédéric Chopin! Apparently, the audience forgave my blunder, because I received mid-applause.”
Intermission
Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association
”The Theatre Information Centre (formerly ITI Finland) had decided to relinquish responsibility for organizing the competition and tasked Riitta Seppälä with exploring other possibilities for ensuring the competition’s continuity.” (Minutes of the association’s founding meeting).
After the previous competition, the competition’s own Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association was founded. Its founding meeting was held on September 17, 2003; present were Doris Laine, Dinna Björn, Liisa Härö, Jane Erkko, Juhani Teräsvuori, Irma Salomaa-Teräsvuori, Anneli Kurki, and Riitta Seppälä.
The chairpersons of the association so far have been Doris Laine, Päivi Lipponen, Jorma Uotinen, and Minna Tervamäki. After that, Hannele Niiranen-Mattson has chaired the association. Professor and ballet competition founder Doris Laine was deservingly the honorary chairperson of the association until her death.
This is how former chairpersons of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association greet the 10th competition:
”Dear competitors and friends of dance, I had the honor of serving as the chairperson of the board of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition from 2012 to 2021. The task was extremely interesting and provided an opportunity to follow the development of dance and the competition during those years. It was great to see how dance changes and develops and how each new generation brings a new layer and finds forms corresponding to its time.
Awareness of the possibilities of dance and technical skill increase, and every year the competitors came more skilled and well-prepared for the competition. International interest grew, and the significance of the competition for the City of Helsinki and the Finnish National Ballet was noticed. It was also rewarding to follow how the dancers who participated in the competition succeeded in their profession and gained new enthusiasm for the dance they love. I wish the competition continued success and luck to all participants.
Dance contains the stuff that dreams are made of. What cannot be said, written, or shouted, must be danced. For the love of dance art.”Jorma Uotinen.
”The skill to dance ballet requires immense commitment and passion for dance. Even dizzying technical skill is not enough in the end; a ballet dancer must be able to interpret the dance with their own unique sequence of movement. It requires immense sensitivity from the artist. We viewers have the privilege of wondering and being enchanted when we see the result of years of hard work and can sense the dancer’s ambition to develop even better. Ballet, like all culture, touches our soul, makes us human.
Important for the ballet competition judges is the dancer’s technical skill, the interpretation of the performance, and the ability to convey emotions. Trusting oneself and the ability to enjoy dancing are also key factors that influence the judges’ evaluation. It is their responsibility to identify a person’s potential and help it flourish. An artist needs an audience and feedback from judges to develop.”Päivi Lipponen, Doctor of Philosophy, Author.
”The Helsinki International Ballet Competition has for decades been a meeting place where young talents from around the world can shine and the audience can experience the magic of ballet. Behind it is a vast amount of expertise and heart work: countless teachers, coaches, and art professionals have over the years given their energy and passion for the benefit of this competition. All this is done so that young dancers can grow and find their own voice—and so that the audience is left with memories that carry far into the future. I wish all participants and friends of the competition courage, joy, and unforgettable experiences.”Minna Tervamäki.
In the Spirit of Helsinki
Act 5
Helsinki International Ballet Competition, May 25 – June 3, 2005. Organized by the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association and Nordic Dance Management in cooperation with the Finnish National Opera.
Competition Director Juhani Teräsvuori, General Secretary Irma Salomaa-Teräsvuori, and Competition Coordinator Emilia Hallberg.
Jury:Dinna Björn (chairperson), Patricia Aulestia De Alba, Tiit Härm, Gabor Kevéhazi, Julia Moon, Mikko Nissinen, Vadim Pisarev, Zhao Ruheng, Matz Skoog, Hélene Trailine, and Renato Zanella.
Prizes: Gloria Grand Prix: Daniil Simkin (Germany) Women: 1. Iana Salenko (Ukraine) 2. Jurgita Dronina (Lithuania) 3. Melissa Hough (United States) Men: 1. Not awarded 2. Yu Zheng (China) and Dastan Chinybayev (Kazakhstan) 3. Shidon Sheng (China) and Marian Walter (Germany) Junior Girls: 1. Cao Shuci (China) 2. Eszter Ledán (Hungary) 3. Megan Grey (United States) Junior Boys: 1. István Simon (Hungary) 2. Joseph Gorak (United States) 3. Mathias Dingman (United States) Choreography Prizes: Fei Bo (China), Jorma Elo (Finland), and Viktor Plotnikov (Ukraine). Fintra Inspiring Achievement Prize: Richárd Szabó (Hungary) and Quenby Hersh (United States). Kirsti Paakkanen Encouragement Prize: Brooklyn Mack (United States), Maria Seletskaja (Estonia), and Cao Chi Thanh (Vietnam). Union of Finnish Dance Artists (STTL) Encouragement Prize: Aino Ettala (Finland).
Morning class teachers for competitors: Anu Sistonen and Juhani Teräsvuori.
According to the association’s board minutes (March 29, 2005), 115 competitors were accepted into the competition, and the minutes (May 11, 2005) state that 77 competitors were arriving at that time. To the delight of the host country, Finn Jorma Elo was awarded in the choreography competition.
Professor Laila Pullinen’s magnificent and unique award statues were named Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2005. In the 2005 competition, the first and second rounds were danced in Almi Hall and the third on the Main Stage, as in all subsequent competitions.
“The group of applicants for the Helsinki International Ballet Competition, now being organized for the fifth time, has been larger this time than ever before. This likely tells us that the popularity of classical ballet and contemporary dance is constantly rising. It also tells us that the organization of previous competitions has succeeded excellently in creating the reputation of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition as a well-organized and high-level cultural event. Thus, it has also brought more international interaction and opportunities for creating new contacts in the field of dance to Finnish dance art. For my part, I can promise that the 2005 competition will also be held in the spirit of Helsinki, respecting and fostering the values of dance art.” Juhani Teräsvuori, Competition Director, in the 2005 program
In the jury, the circle was completed: one member of the jury was Vadim Pisarev, a medalist from the 1984 competition. In the 2005 competition, a separate opening performance was organized for the first time, featuring students from the Ballet School of the National Opera, dancers from the National Ballet, and guests, including Nina Hyvärinen and Jukka Aromaa, who were awarded in previous competitions.
This is how Daniil Simkin, the 2005 Grand Prix winner, remembers the competition:“Winning the Grand Prix at the Helsinki International Ballet Competition in 2005 was a significant step in my early career. It gave me not only the confidence to pursue ballet professionally, but also the opportunity to perform on a major stage in Finland and connect with many dancers who would later become my colleagues around the world. I’m grateful for the experience and proud to be a part of the competition’s history.”
During this competition, I had just started a new job outside Helsinki and unfortunately did not have time to participate in the competition.
Favorite Summer Job
Act 6
June 2–11, 2009, Helsinki International Ballet Competition at the Finnish National Opera. Organized by the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association in cooperation with the Finnish National Opera.
General Secretary Sari Lakso and Competition Coordinator Sirkku Rainio. Announcers Jere Nurminen and Timo Sokura.
Jury:Kenneth Greve (chairperson), Reid Anderson, Kathryn Bennets, Jorma Elo, Zhao Ruheng, Kenji Usui, and Makhar Vaziev.
Prizes: Gloria Grand Prix: Xiaoyu He (China) Women: 1. Haijing Yao (China) 2. Yu Guo (China) 3. Magda Matejkova (Czech Republic) Men: 1. Jun Shuang Huang (China) 2. Brooklyn Mack (United States) and Avetik Karapetyan (Armenia) 3. Maxime Quiroga (Ranska) Junior Girls: 1. Maria Baranova (Suomi) 2. Camille Bracher (South Africa) 3. Meaghan Hinkis (United States) Junior Boys: 1. Jeffrey A. Cirio (United States) 2. Lonnie Weeks (United States) 3. Junxiong Zhao (China) and Gergely Leblanc (Hungary) Choreography Prizes: Marco Goecke (Germany) and David Jonathan (Belgium). Pessi and Illusia Prize for best couple: Hong Yu Guo and Wenjun Zhang (China). STTL Encouragement Prize: Maria Baranova (Finland).
Morning class teachers for competitors: Petrusjka Broholm and Jarmo Rastas.
This time, 172 dancers from 35 countries, representing 40 different nationalities, applied for the competition. 90 of them were selected, and 71 dancers from 24 different countries arrived. The winner of the first Finnish gold medal was the convincing and versatile Maria Baranova in the junior girls’ category. Professor Laila Pullinen’s award statues were named Illuminations this time. The jury again included Finnish representation, Jorma Elo, who had been awarded in the previous choreography competition. I had then started as a producer for the National Ballet, and the competition and the Opera House already felt very familiar. Competition arrangements and announcing were still a favorite summer job!
This is how Sari Lakso, the General Secretary of the 2009 competition, remembers:“Enough time has passed since the ballet competition that I had to dig out calendars and notes. But even without notes, I can say that the Helsinki International Ballet Competition was personally the most demanding event I have been involved in organizing. The fact that I was chosen for that task was solely and purely thanks to the late prima ballerina and professor Doris Laine. She dared to propose me for the task, even though I had not organized an event of that scale at that stage, let alone served as General Secretary.
The General Secretary’s duties basically included everything before the competition. The board assisted in acquiring sponsorship, and the duties of the financial manager were held by the treasurer of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association. All grant applications were still the General Secretary’s area of responsibility; the financial manager, despite the name, mainly handled running costs.
Upon accepting the task, I received 10 electronic files from Riitta Seppälä, who had led the competition for several years. Everything else was in folders at the office of the then-Theatre Information Centre. It was the year 2007, when digitalization was not as strongly present as today. When I finished my task at the end of June 2009, there were already over 3,700 files. It should be noted that after the competition, I took a long ‘sabbatical’ to recover from the competition.
When Timo Sokura asked me to recall the stages of the competition, I was pleased. Enough time has passed. Time has a good effect in that sense, as good memories are foremost. At the stage when I was selected for the task, I also received a request to create a ‘competition handbook’ which did not exist. To get a picture of what happens at what stage, I interviewed Riitta Seppälä and went through the stages of the competition with Doris Laine. But a so-called guidebook or instructions did not exist. So many things as the competition progressed remained my responsibility, to implement as I imagined them happening or how things had been done before. I served simultaneously as the secretary of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association, so I both recorded and brought matters to the board for consideration. The biggest change was ultimately that the ballet director changed. The ballet director serves as both the chairperson of the organizing committee and the chairperson of the competition jury. This happened in the fall of 2008.
The association at that time did not have an office, so I initially handled tasks in a small 6m² office at the Alexander Theatre, which was also used by other small dance associations. One of the first tasks was to work on the competition’s website, for whose coding Jaakko Seppälä’s advertising agency, AC-mainos Oy, was responsible. From the beginning of 2008, the association rented an office on the top floor of the building, and the late Jane Erkko, also then a board member, assisted in furnishing the space. She also acquired a coffee maker and dishes, a computer, and a calendar there. Initially, I worked part-time; in 2008 my task was 80%, and in 2009 I worked with a 100% contract. From the beginning of 2009, I received help from Sirkku Rainio, who served as the event’s competition coordinator.
At that time, advertisements for the competition were sent by mail all over the world. The competition was advertised in various channels, but the largest marketing cost items were outdoor advertisements (trams, buses, metro) and advertisements in Helsingin Sanomat. We worked on the competition advertisement brochure (8-page foldable) and the competition program (60 pages) together with graphic designer Heikki Vanhatalo. Sirkku Rainio helped with translating the program texts and ad sales.
Acquiring sponsors for the competition happened during the worst recession. Only Gloria magazine sponsored the competition and gave the largest prize of 12,000 euros. Times were bad in that sense. The competition’s finances ultimately ended up in the red. It might have been preventable, for example, by reducing the total sum of prizes and rationalizing some costs. On the other hand, the expectation for ticket income can vary a lot. In that particular competition year, the budget was most strained by the lack of sponsors.
Sirkku Rainio and I did a lot of work regarding the instructions distributed to competitors. We thought they were very good, but perhaps there was too much text after all. Injuries could happen during the competition, and we had an agreement with a medical clinic where necessary, possible treatment could be performed. A doctor and a physiotherapist were on call at the competition, but this mishap had happened in rehearsals. They went directly to a doctor and, of course, to another medical clinic’s reception without informing us. Regrettably, the instructions had gone unread.”Sari Lakso, General Secretary 2009.
“In the 2009 competition, the announcer was also commented on in the newspaper: “The announcer gentleman walked on stage all evening with duck-steps, as if ready to descend into a plié at any moment”… Everyone had apparently read the Hesari last week, as the National Opera’s Almi Hall almost burst at the seams when Sokura walked onto the stage at the beginning of the first semi-final in a brisk Chaplin-style and made a very fine plié.” Helsingin Sanomat ‘Kuiskaaja’ June 2009.”
A great opportunity to get to know other dancers
Act 7
May 29 – June 7, 2012, Helsinki International Ballet Competition at the Finnish National Opera. Organized by the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association in cooperation with the Finnish National Opera.
General Secretary Sanna Holmberg, Competition Coordinator Saara Moisio, and Press Manager Mila Kajas-Virtanen.
Jury:Kenneth Greve (chairperson), Nina Ananiashvili, Kathryn Bennets, Jorma Elo, Madeleine Onne, Feng Ying, and Makhar Vaziev.
Prizes: Gloria Grand Prix: Yun Wang (China) Women: 1. Candice Adea (Philippines) 2. Maria Baranova (Finland) 3. Ekaterina Oleynik (Belarus) Men: 2. Rodrigo Almarales (Cuba) and Ruichen Sun (China) 3. Andrei Cozlac (Romania)Junior Girls: 1. Alys Shee (United States) 2. Dingwen Ao (China) 3. Katherine Higgins (United States) Junior Boys: 1. Taiyu He (China) 2. Francesco Gabriele Frola (Italy) 3. Jinchang Gu (China) Choreography Prizes: Francesco Frola (Italy) and Tisa Chang (China). Best non-competing partner: Ye Wang (China). Best pas de deux technique: Jean-Marc Cordero (Philippines). The Marimekko Dance Design Prize: Fei Bo (China). Friends of the Mariinsky Theatre in Finland Ry Prize: Yun Wang and Yang Jiao (China). STTL Encouragement Prize: Suvi Honkanen (Finland).
Morning class teachers for competitors: Barbora Kohoutková and Jarmo Rastas.
By the registration deadline, 114 competitors had registered; 96 dancers were selected in the pre-selection. Finally, 72 competitors from 29 countries arrived in Helsinki (minutes May 28). Finn Maria Baranova was awarded again, with the second prize for senior women.
In this competition, the Grand Prix winner was given Lapponia’s Full Bodied, Consideration and Separation, a series of three miniature sculptures designed by Paul Havgaard, and other winners received the Lapponia Origami 825 brooch designed by Zoltan Popovits. The age categories of the competition were reviewed again: juniors had to be 15–19 years old and seniors 20–25 years old. Only in this competition was it mentioned in the program that the competition was a ‘Member of IFBC’ (International Federation of Ballet Competitions), which included about twenty international competitions in addition to our own.
It’s always nice to meet former acquaintances; one of the two teachers for the dancers’ morning classes was the 1995 Grand Prix winner, Barbora Kohoutková.
”The work of a dance artist is not a momentary success in a competition, but a lifelong process, the refinement of skill through endless repetitions. It requires passion and commitment. It is necessary for a dancer to remain in a state of constantly troubling oneself. Only constant self-exposure leads to a unique moment in the here and now. Easy victories must be forgotten. They do not exist. When a true dancer is sought, the mere desire to dance is not enough. One must have the strength to train and educate oneself to grow into a dancer. The Helsinki International Ballet Competition opens a magnificent opportunity for the coming of a new generation of dance artists. Boldly towards new horizons of classical dance, full of faith in the future!”Jorma Uotinen, Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, in the 2012 program.
”The competition is a great opportunity for participants to get to know other dancers from different parts of the world and show their skills. At its best, the competition brings fame and job offers. For all participants, it offers experiences and memories.”Kenneth Greve, Chairperson of the Jury, in the 2012 program.
This has remained in my mind somehow as a favorite competition. I served as rehearsal coordinator and announcer in all rounds, and the spirit between the competition office and the Opera staff was excellent both in the preparation of the competitions and during the competition itself. The reason was likely the extremely cooperative and hardworking General Secretary and Competition Coordinator.
Feedback discussion at the Ballet Competition Association meeting on June 8:
“A lively feedback discussion about the competition was held. As a general view, it was stated that the competitions succeeded very well: the level of competitors was high, the competition atmosphere warm and respectful, the jury’s work proceeded in a good spirit, the arrangements received praise from competitors, coaches, opera personnel, and the media, and the cooperation between the opera and competition personnel was excellent. The audience target was exceeded, and the budget held. The competition’s visibility was excellent, especially during the final weeks. When the audience additionally received the competition performances joyfully and the media praised the level of the competition, the board had reason for satisfaction. The competition office’s sunniness, willingness to serve, efficiency, and stress tolerance were rewarded with applause and flowers for Sanna, Saara, Mila, and Timo.” (Minutes June 8).
Here are memories of the competition from Sanna Holmberg, the 2012 General Secretary:
”The strongest impression from the 2012 games has remained the good atmosphere of the competition office and the joyful ethos of doing. In a small office room at Kruununhaka’s Teatterikulma, three employees were squeezed in at the final stage: General Secretary Sanna Holmberg, Competition Coordinator Saara Moisio, and Volunteer Coordinator Hanna Gorschelnik.
The efficiency of the work was based on a clear division of labor. The office ran with a constantly updated task list. A person in charge was named for every tiny detail, and there was complete trust in the office that everyone handled the tasks named for them. It freed everyone’s strength and helped to focus on the essential.
We raised the competition spirit over the spring by celebrating important milestones such as the selection of competitors and the drawing of the competition order. We were good at coming up with reasons to toast or at least enjoy coffee and buns. The seamless division of labor extended beyond the competition office as well. The competition’s wonderful volunteer team was strongly self-directed and very experienced. For example, the Backstage team members ran rehearsals and performances independently. They had more expertise in the matter than the competition office staff, and it was only sensible not to mess with a well-functioning machinery. I still think warmly of our volunteers, who ensured that cars moved, social media channels were filled, and competitors were in the right place at the right time.”Sanna Holmberg, Competition General Secretary 2012.
Competition Coordinator Saara Moisio remembers the competition like this:
”For myself, time has also gilded the memories well, and foremost in mind is the truly smoothly functioning cooperation between everyone. I got the job of competition coordinator just around the time of graduating with a Master’s in Theatre Science, so the experience was also important for the accumulation of my own work experience. My main responsibility was (if I remember correctly now) communication with competitors about their arrival, hotel rooms, and repertoire, as well as producing the program for both the entire competition and for each evening.
The small office in Teatterikulma, where Sanna and I sat back-to-back, was a true space miracle, because I remember that Sanna one day brought a small round table and two chairs she found at a flea market to be our coffee table too. We moved to sit by it instead of just turning our chairs toward each other. The Lundia shelves were assembled, and the competition’s archive folders and boxes were also stacked there as I recall. Just as Sanna described, I remember that the spring was nicely rhythmicized by celebrations of different stages, which Timo also ensured.
The competition weeks have remained in mind as a kind of bubble, ‘living’ in the windowless office of the National Opera and running around the entire Opera. The general atmosphere constantly remained really good, however, and I remember that we laughed a lot. Certainly, some small or slightly larger mishaps during the competition weeks were not avoided. All competitors were presented in the program with photos and bio texts, and no matter how carefully I thought I had considered all competitors, a certain Swedish boy was left out of the group. A completely separate insert page was made for him, which the volunteers put inside every program. The competitor himself luckily took this in a humorous way.
The last twenty-four hours of the competition were the tightest, because for me it went with a maximum of four hours of sleep. The gala was put together in the morning, and I remember sitting in Kenneth Greve’s office with Minna Tervamäki, Kenneth, and Jorma Uotinen, recording the gala announcements and the progress of the program and telling which competitor is which. My own head was quite foggy from exhaustion at that stage, but somehow I managed to stay awake enough that while Jorma was dictating his own announcements, I remember him saying that ‘I appreciate your calmness.’ It’s a wonder a tear didn’t come to the corner of my eye right then.
The gala evening was very emotional in these respects, and I remember the exhaustion also being released in tears at some point in the evening, but entirely just out of gratitude and happiness, because a two-week intensive competition period had finally been successfully concluded. I recall that as a team, we all received praise. For my part, the employment with the competition association continued for a year after the competition as a part-time financial secretary until I moved to other duties. Something about the good spirit of the competition team is told by the fact that the connection to Sanna and Timo has remained for over ten years, even though jobs and life situations have changed.”Saara Moisio, Competition Coordinator 2012.
“This competition also includes one of the highlights of my working life: we had moved to the 3rd round and from Almi Hall to the Opera’s Main Stage. One of the Opera’s technicians suggested at the end of the stage rehearsals that instead of the wings, I should start the opening announcement directly from the stage. So, I stood against the background cloth of the large stage as the curtain opened and the lights slowly rose. I started walking toward the announcer’s light that 15-meter distance, and the audience gave an applause! It was a walk that won’t easily be forgotten!”
A good place to continue from here
Act 8
May 23 – June 2, 2016, Helsinki International Ballet Competition 2016 ‘Turning every participant into a winner’ at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. Organized by the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association.
General Secretary Asta Lindholm. Competition Coordinators Noora Salminen and Maaria Hohti.
Jury:Kenneth Greve (chairperson), Angel Corella, Feng Ying, Hae Shik Kim, Jorma Elo, Maina Gielgud, and Nina Ananiashvili.
Prizes: Jane Erkko Grand Prix: Kim Heesun (South Korea) Women: 1. Xinlu Zhan (China) and Yimeng Sun (China), 3. Yoshiko Kamikusa (Canada) Men: 2. Byul Yun (South Korea), 3. Takatoshi Machiyama (Japan) and Kengo Nishioka (Japan) Junior Girls: 1. So Jung Shin (South Korea) 2. Fangqi Li (China) 3. Yeojin Shim (South Korea)Junior Boys: 1. Zhuming Chen (China) 2. Yedong Sun (China) 3. Frederico Loureiro (Portugal) Choreography Prize: Jae Deok Kim (South Korea) 1st Prize in Pas de deux category: Hojin Jeon (South Korea) Encouragement Prizes: Matthew Cunningham (United States), Magili Chadbourne (United States), and Changzheng Guan (China). Balettiyhdistys Attitydi Ry Recognition Prize: Suvi Honkanen (Finland).
Morning class teachers for competitors: Jarmo Rastas and Ophélie Rodighiero. Additionally, the dancers were taught by: Henrik Burman, Sini Länsivuori-Engström, and Fatima Witick. Intensive course for advanced ballet hobbyists, taught by jury member Nina Ananiashvili.
Grand Prix winner 2016 Kim Heesun January 17, 1992 – May 1, 2022.
142 dancers applied for the competition, 88 of whom were selected. According to the minutes (April 25, 2016), 72 dancers remained, and according to the final report, 66 dancers participated in the competition.
”I have made a long career in various duties within dance, and it is a great joy for me to observe how dance in all its forms has received much more appreciation also in Finnish culture. It is good to continue forward from here”.Doris Laine, founder and honorary chairperson of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition, in the 2016 program (Doris Laine 1931-2018).
”HIBC is more than just a competition. For young dancers, a week-long study trip is promised, where training, learning, networking, and internationalization are as important as success in the competition. We believe that everyone leaves for home as a winner.” Program 2016.
General Secretary Asta Lindholm remembers the competition like this:
”Knowledge increases pain, it is said. Fortunately, I knew very little about event production and project management in general when, full of enthusiasm, I started my post as General Secretary of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition in 2015.
Ballet competitions as an institution, on the other hand, were exceptionally familiar to me: as a young dancer for the National Ballet, I had participated twice in the Helsinki International Ballet Competitions and additionally in ballet competitions in the United States, Varna, and Shanghai. I experienced all the 90s Helsinki International Ballet Competitions from the audience side. Despite all this, my attitude toward ballet competitions has always been divided. I recognize the concern about emphasizing circus tricks at the expense of dance art, but as learning experiences, their value is, in my opinion, undeniable. For a young dancer, ballet competitions offer a unique opportunity to gain performance experience, individual coaching, and especially technical expertise, as well as to network.
A competition organized every four years is practically pushed off almost from scratch every time. While classical ballet has changed relatively little over the years, the world around it changes increasingly fast. For the 2016 competitions, a new visual identity was created alongside a website renewal. A kind of technological leap was also made in the decision to move the pre-selection of competitors in the future to be based on video recordings instead of photographs, which is naturally a more meaningful way to evaluate a dancer’s skills. Directing the marketing communications of the ballet competition to channels central for the timing of each particular competition requires strong professional skill from a small competition office, as the operating environment changes a lot in four years. Fortunately, over the years, a strong international reputation and respect have been formed for the Helsinki ballet competitions, which significantly facilitates the organization’s communication efforts.
My colleagues, Competition Coordinator Noora Saarinen and Communication Manager Mila Kajas-Virtanen and Competition Secretary Maaria Hohti, who had already gained experience from previous ballet competitions, were invaluable in compensating for my inexperience as a project manager of an entity like a ballet competition. Also, my previous experience as a competitor was of great benefit in the task of General Secretary. I had gone through the stages of the competition process myself, from preparing for pre-selections to returning home from the competition trip, so it was much easier to understand and anticipate the competitors’ needs and possible challenges. In ballet competitions, many emotions move both on stage and backstage, and a large part of the General Secretary’s work is reacting to these situations throughout the competition.
Personally, I especially rejoiced that more educational content was brought for participants in the 2016 competitions, which shifted the focus of the event from competing to the significance of learning. Thanks to close cooperation with the City of Helsinki, dancers eliminated from the final rounds got to perform in the middle of a summery Helsinki on the Espa stage. The competition’s slogan ‘Turning everyone into a winner’ felt truly realized. The already inherently intensive work pace of the competition office accelerates into a true final sprint as the competitions begin. I didn’t have time to see a single competition performance during the competitions, but the early morning trips home after the jury’s long evaluation meetings I will remember forever. I also remember the competitors, volunteers, judges, and association board members who gave their all after the final gala party, without whom the competition would not exist. The circle felt completed when I got to be involved in organizing ballet competitions that previously had a great significance for my own dancer’s career.
For future ballet competitions, I wish for perseverance and, above all, continuity. It is great to think that one of the most respected international ballet competitions in terms of arrangements and settings is organized specifically in Finland. This has required a massive amount of groundwork from the competition organization, which I hope young dancers around the world enjoy also in the future. The most surprising and logistically invaluable part of the competition’s background forces was definitely the group of volunteer drivers, some of whom had experience from previous ballet competitions. For the price of a gas station sandwich, they tirelessly shuttled between the airport, the Opera House, and the hotel in our sponsor Jaguar’s cars.”Asta Lindholm, Competition General Secretary 2016.
Before this competition, I had just started in a new job and made it to the competition as a volunteer worker just on the threshold of summer vacation. There has always been a large number of volunteers involved in the competition helping dancers in various ways. Without this group, the competition could not be organized at all. Teemu Tainio and Jere Nurminen served as excellent announcers during the competition rounds.
“I was involved in supervising rehearsals. In this competition, quite rare help was needed: harem pants had to be found for a dancer for a variation from Le Corsaire or La Bayadère’s Solor! I don’t remember if the dancer’s own pants were forgotten or if the dancer had assumed they would be eliminated from the competition before the 3rd round. Fortunately, the Opera’s costume department was still at work, and someone had time to go with us to the costume storage to search for suitable pants.”
Unforgettable experiences for young dancers
Act 9
May 31 – June 6, 2022, Helsinki International Ballet Competition at the Finnish National Opera, General Secretary Emilia Rantalaiho and Competition Coordinator Sarlotta Kalliosalo, Communication Manager Päivi Lappalainen.
Jury:Madeleine Onne (chairperson), Nina Ananiashvili, Frank Andersen, Julio Bocca, Jorma Elo, Nicolas Le Riche, and Brooklyn Mack.
Prizes: Jane Erkko Grand Prix: Yuka Masumoto (Japan) Doris Laine Prize: Giulio Diligente (Italy) Women: 1. Not awarded 2. Hui Wen Peng (Taiwan) 3. Viola Länsivuori (Finland) Men: 1. Keita Fujishima (Japan) 2. Luciano Ghidoli (Italy) 3. Joshua Kiesel (United States) Junior Girls: 1. Maya Schonbrun (United States) 2. Matoi Kawamoto (Japan) 3. Alexis Workowski (United States) Junior Boys: 1. Clark Eselgroth (United States) 2. Alexei Orohovsky 3. Vasco Yu Belo Prazeres Pereira (Portugal) Pas de deux Prize: Yuka Masumoto and Clark Eselgroth. Jury Encouragement Prize: Alexei Orohovsky (United States).Balettiyhdistys Attitydi Ry Recognition Prize: Pinja Rissanen (Finland).
Morning class teachers for competitors: Wilfried Jacobs, Jarmo Rastas, and Ophélie Rodighiero. Additionally, competitors were taught by Henrik Burman and Asla Jääskeläinen. Masterclasses were held by jury members Nina Ananiashvili and Julio Bocca.
151 applications arrived by the deadline of March 20, 2022. The jury again included familiar faces, with Brooklyn Mack, who was awarded in the 2009 competition, as one of the judges. The 2022 competition was intended to be held four years after the previous one, i.e., in 2020. The global COVID pandemic messed up the plans—as well as much else—and the competition was finally able to be organized in 2022.
The side program of this competition included a discussion event about the future of ballet and a ‘Training Tomorrow’s Artists – Creating a sustainable praxis’ seminar.
General Secretary Emilia Rantalaiho remembers the competition like this:
”Working as General Secretary of the Helsinki International Ballet Competition was a dream job for me, which I had dreamed of for several years. The competition had been postponed by two years because of the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, and many changes and uncertainties marked the entire preparation period. The war of aggression started by Russia in Ukraine brought its own challenges also to the competition organization.
A large entity had to be quickly taken under control, and it felt as if one were peeling a giant onion for work, where new layers are always found. Serving as General Secretary was a huge learning journey for me. Not so much regarding the organization of the competition, but I got to take a proper deep dive into the organizational culture and strategy. During my General Secretary term, I learned especially about leadership, interaction, the significance of focus in activities, and board work. At the same time, I also got an important reminder of the limits of a human and an employee.
During the months preceding the competition, the work of the operational team increased and the significance was emphasized, as after the registration closed, it was as if someone had pushed a snowball to roll forward. Fortunately, the ball was kept on the right track, even though it occasionally threatened to go in the wrong direction. Workdays stretched long, but at the same time, the pieces that were previously a bit scattered began to click into place. We were more and more ready all the time to take the competition to the stage.
During the competition, I truly understood what great team members worked with me and with what kind of professionalism and experience some of the volunteers were involved. It felt magnificent to work in such a group and to be involved in enabling unforgettable experiences for young dancers.”Emilia Rantalaiho, Competition General Secretary 2022.
”The participation of Keita Fujishima, who won the first prize for men, was nearly prevented because of a COVID certificate. At the time of the competition, many countries required a certificate of having taken COVID vaccines or of a past COVID disease. Keita, however, did not have the certificate ready, and because of that, he did not get on the flight. The matter was resolved with the embassy, and fortunately, Keita was finally gotten to Finland early enough. I recall that these COVID certificates caused headaches otherwise too, and various challenges related to traveling existed, but that was the clearest and also very concrete one.”Sarlotta Kalliosalo, Competition Coordinator 2022.
Yuka Masumoto, Grand Prix winner of the 2022 competition:
”Congratulations on the 10th Helsinki International Ballet Competition! In 2022, I had the opportunity to experience a special and fulfilling week with HIBC. Looking back, I remember the competition being filled with a positive and welcoming atmosphere. From the competitors to the staff, everyone was super supportive, and the event was well organized. The warm environment helped ease my nervous heart. I learned so much through the competition and throughout the preparation period.
It was not always easy and often challenging, but at the same time, it was extremely valuable and enriching. I truly treasure all the stage and rehearsal time I shared with my partner, coaches, and choreographers. The entire experience helped me grow as a dancer and has significantly influenced the artist I am today. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for allowing me to be a part of HIBC. I hope it will be a fulfilling and inspiring experience for all the competitors, and that everyone will make the most of every moment.”Yuka Masumoto, Grand Prix winner 2022.
The 2022 competition was announced by dancer Susmita Meyer-Rochow and the experienced Heidi Almi, who has served in many different roles in almost all ballet competitions. This time too I was on stage monitoring the competition rules; our experienced team of three helped, among other things, a few dancers to either lengthen or shorten their contemporary dance number so that it would be in accordance with the rules.
Dance and Medicine
Almost from the beginning, a Dance Medicine symposium or seminar has been organized in connection with the Helsinki International Ballet Competition. According to the programs, the first was organized in connection with the 1995 competition under the name International Symposium of Dance and Medicine. The themes of the 95 symposium were Dancers’ injuries and their prevention as well as Psychological aspects of dance.
In the 2001 competition, the theme of the International Symposium on Dance and Medicine was Medical, Nutritional and Psychological aspects of dance. In 2005, the theme of the International Dance Medicine Seminar was Dance training, injuries and rehabilitation, and it was organized by Dance Health Finland ry. In 2009, the theme of the International Dance Medicine Symposium was From biomechanics to mental well-being. Dance Health Finland ry and hospital Orton were responsible for organizing the symposium. In 2012, the subject of the medical seminar was Supplementary Training and Injury Prevention for Classical Ballet, and it was organized in cooperation by Dance Health Finland ry and Balettipedagogit ry. In 2016, the medical seminar was named Training Tomorrow´s Dancers.
Epilogue
The Helsinki International Ballet Competition has throughout its history operated and operates with the support of the City of Helsinki and the Ministry of Education and Culture as well as private foundations and funds. Over the years, numerous companies have also supported the competitions. This of course is not easy, but so far the competition has always been successfully organized, although in some years ‘scraping the bar’.
Only after the 2022 competition has the ballet competition association begun to organize activities also between competitions. For example, in 2024, the ASKEL coaching course for dance hobbyists was started. The goal of the course is to help talented dancers prepare for the next competitions in 2026 or 2029.
This year 2026, the tenth Helsinki International Ballet Competition will be organized in cooperation with the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. The competition rules have been revised in some respects: there are three competition series, 15–18-year-old juniors, 19–21-year-old young professionals, and 22–26-year-old seniors. Also, the gender division of competitors has been removed; men and women, girls and boys compete in the same series.
Sometimes dreams can come true: the overly bold idea to organize an international ballet competition in Helsinki was realized, and the competition continues having earned its colorful history and good reputation.
This is how the newspaper predicted the future in 1984: “Doris Laine believes in the possibilities: Dance competitions permanently to Helsinki”Uusi Suomi June 17, 1984.