Varna International Ballet Competition

The Varna International Ballet Competition is a biennial ballet competition held in Varna, Bulgaria.^[1] The competition was founded in 1964 and subsequently held in 1965 and 1966, and then every two years starting in 1968.^[1] Many dancers have gained their first international recognition at the competition.^[2]

Since the contest is a fierce one, lasting half a month, the Varna International Ballet Competition has been called the "olympics of dance".^[3]

Winners

• 1964 : Vladimir Vasiliev,^[4] Grand Prix of Varna; Alla Sizova, Ekaterina Maximova, Vera Kirova, Sergei Vikulov, and Nikita Dolgushin (all gold medal)
• 1965 : Natalia Makarova (gold medal), Loipa Araújo (gold medal)
• 1966 : Aurora Bosch (gold medal), Martine van Hamel (distinction, junior division), Mikhail Baryshnikov (first place, junior division)^[5]
• 1968 : Marta García (first place, junior division), Rita Poelvoorde (silver medal)
• 1970 : Eva Evdokimova (gold medal), Rosario Suárez (first place, junior division)
• 1972 : Lyubov Gershunova^[6]
• 1974 : Fernando Bujones (gold medal), Yoko Morishita (gold medal), Tatyana Kapustina (bronze medal)^[7]
• 1976 : Patrick Dupond (Special Prize of the Youth Organization of Varna, junior division)
• 1978 : Élisabeth Platel (silver medal) // René de Cárdenas (best duo, junior division)
• 1980 : Evelyn Hart (gold medal) and David Peregrine (bronze medal) // Karin Averty (Special Prize of the Youth Organization of Varna, junior division)
• 1983 : Sylvie Guillem^[8] (Special Prize of the Youth Organization of Varna, junior division)
• 1984 : Manuel Legris
• 1988 : Virginie Kempf (gold medal)
• 1990 : Agnès Letestu (gold medal)^[9]
• 1992 : Aurélie Dupont, José Carlos Martinez, (gold medals), Zenaida Yanowsky (silver medal), Yury Yanowsky//Bernard Courtot de Bouteillier, Molly Smolen//Delphine Baey (bronze medals)), Molly Smolen (Prix de Nina Ricci)
• 1994 : Clairemarie Osta (silver medal), Laetitia Pujol (silver medal)
• 1996 : Rasta Thomas (first place, junior)
• 1998 : Zhu Yan (gold Medal) // Chi Cao (gold medal)
• 2000 : Lali Kandelaki, Xiao Feng Fan, Shen Yi Sun (gold medal, seniors)^[10]
• 2002 : Hélène Bouchet (silver Medal)
• 2004 : Daniil Simkin (gold medal, junior), Yum Yunesava (first place junior), Arman Grigoryan (gold medal, senior), Mathilde Froustey (gold medal, senior)
• 2006 : Aubert Vanderlinden, Ivan Vasiliev (special prize, junior division)
• 2012 : Brooklyn Mack (gold medal)^[2] // Denis Cherevichko (gold medal)
• 2014 : Soo Bin Lee (special distinction), Sara Renda (bronze medal), Ralitsa Ilieva (bronze medal)
• 2016 : Amanda Gomes (gold medal) // Paul Marque (gold medal)
• 2018 : António Casalinho (first place, juniors), Siyi Li (first place, girls), Yuan Zhe Zi Huan (gold medal，women), Katherine Barkman (silver medal), Sinuo Chang (gold medal, men)^[11]