The elite festival of modern choreography IFMC has opened in Vitebsk

November 18, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The elite festival of modern choreography opened today for the 22nd time in Vitebsk, reports a BELTA correspondent. By the unanimous opinion of modern dance connoisseurs, the International Festival of Modern Choreography (IFMC) is one of the most prestigious dance festivals in the CIS. Along with performances by famous companies, it also includes a competition program. By tradition, the international competition alternates with a national one. This year, Belarusian choreographers will compete. Out of 17 applicants, 9 companies from Minsk, Grodno, and Vitebsk have been invited to Vitebsk. The competition jury is headed by its permanent chairman, People's Artist of the USSR and Belarus, choreographer, professor at the Belarusian Academy of Music, Valentin Elizariev. The jury also includes such renowned choreographers as Ditmar Seyffert, honorary chairman of the International Dance Council CID-UNESCO, dean of the directing faculty at the Berlin University of Drama and Dance, three-time winner of Russia's Golden Mask National Theatre Award, artistic director of Eccentric Ballet, Sergey Smirnov. The jury will be assisted by members of the expert council, headed by ballet critic, musical theatre researcher, and member of the jury for Russia's Golden Mask National Theatre Award, Larisa Barykina. Competition performances will be evaluated in five nominations: "Best Production," "Performance Excellence," "Artistry," "Tradition and Innovation," and "Postscript." The winner in the latter nomination will be determined by the jury in conjunction with the members of the expert council. This time, the festival will treat audiences to encounters with one of the brightest stars of the Latvian National Opera ballet, Ulvi Azizov, the Perm State Theatre "Ballet of Evgeny Panfilov," Sergey Smirnov's "Eccentric Ballet," as well as companies and dancers from Poland, Ukraine, and Estonia. Vitebsk, which is turning into the capital of modern choreography these days, will not miss the internationally acclaimed project Cocoondance, currently at the peak of its global popularity: audiences will see the performance "Towards Your Enemy," staged by Swiss choreographer. Premiere performances by the Perm State Theatre "Ballet of Evgeny Panfilov" and Sergey Smirnov's Yekaterinburg-based "Eccentric Ballet" will also take place in Vitebsk during the festival. The forum's program includes master classes and film screenings. For the first time, the festival organizers decided to promote Belarusian contemporary choreography on the international stage and have planned meetings between Belarusian companies and representatives of the Polish association for international cooperation in culture and art Artbale, the prestigious Düsseldorf International Dance Fair, and the Lithuanian Information and Contemporary Dance Centre. The festival will conclude on November 21. The International Festival of Modern Choreography in Vitebsk has been held since 1987. The founders of the forum are the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, the Vitebsk City Executive Committee, the Ministry of Culture, and the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre. The organizer is the Vitebsk Culture Center. -0-