Photo by Pál Csillag
“It is a great pleasure for the Hungarian University of Dance to organise the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix for the second time. Our aim is to create a tradition and to provide an opportunity for young dance students and beginners to compete in an international arena in front of an international jury of distinguished artists,” said Márta Fodor-Molnár, Rector of the Hungarian Dance University at the press conference of the 2024 Budapest Ballet Grand Prix (BBGP).
Márta Fodor-Molnár said that important goals related to the competition include the brand building of the university as well as the strengthening of the image of Budapest and Hungary. The rector mentioned that it is no secret that the Hungarian Dance University aims to become the leading institution in Europe by 2030. The President of the Organising Committee also said that the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix was open to young people aged between 14 and 24, which in itself is a curiosity among similar competitions.
Last year’s competition attracted 132 entries from 23 countries in 3 categories. This year, the number of entries has increased slightly to over 150, but entries are still open. Eighty dancers, selected from among those who entered, can participate in BBGP this year.
“We are not only announcing a competition, but also offering an educational process to the applicants. This means that world stars will hold workshops during the competition and the contestants will have the opportunity to meet twice with the world-famous jury,” said Márta-Fodor Molnár.
The competition will take place at the National Dance Theatre, while the award gala will be held at Müpa Budapest. University professor Márta-Fodor Molnár stressed that there will also be an educational process for the candidates: workshops will be organised during the competition and the contestants will have two opportunities to discuss their performances with the jury members. The competition provides young dancers with networking opportunities and can also help them to launch their careers, offering scholarships and career opportunities to the best dancers.
“The event will also include a book launch: Megan Fairchild, principal soloist at the New York City Ballet, will present her book The Art of Performance”, she added.
Photo by Szollár Zsófi
János Kiss, ballet artist and Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees, recalled the change of model that took place three years ago, which, he said, proved to be a good decision. “We have been through a lot, but most importantly, we are constantly evolving,” he said, stressing that the goal is to become the leading dance university in Europe by 2030. “We are proud of our past,” he said, underlining that next year will see the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State Ballet Institute, the predecessor of the university, and the 50th anniversary of the folk dance training.
Balázs Hankó, head of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, spoke about the ballet competition, saying that the brand must be shaped into an identity, and that culture must not only be loved, but also shaped.
“We are proud to be Christians and Hungarians, and to belong to the community of the Hungarian University of Dance. This pride should characterise us at home and internationally, because we have people to be proud of. We Hungarians not only love culture, we also shape it. But in the way our identity dictates.”
Tamás Nagy, BBGP Competition Director, introduced the members of the jury. The jury is chaired by Gyula Harangozó Jr and members are Maia Makhateli, Aki Saito, Federico Bonelli and Krzysztof Pastor.
Opera singer Erika Miklósa, President of the main sponsor MOL-New Europe Foundation, pointed out that the international competition, which attracts talented young singers and their teachers, had already gained a high reputation last year.
“Dance is also a passport to the international stage with which we cannot be ashamed,” she said adding that the foundation prioritises talent development, which is why they support the university’s international ballet competition.
Photos by Pál Csillag (HDU)
Attila Simon, the CEO of Herendi Porcelánmanufaktúra Zrt., which also sponsors the event, emphasized that it will always stand behind the competition. He spoke about the Herendi Chamber Exhibition at the National Dance Theatre where the prizes of the competition will be presented. Ono Hikariko, Ambassador of Japan to Hungary, and Marjan Cencen, Ambassador of Slovenia to Hungary, also attended the event, as well as a new sponsor, Ágnes Ziegler, Managing Director of Eredeti Ziegler Ostya Ltd.
