Jury
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Janek Schergen (Singapore Ballet, Artistic Director)SDA Artistic Advisor, IBGP Head of Jury
Janek Schergen is from Göteborg, Sweden. Since 1971, he was invited to many dance companies to take on various positions – a dancer, teacher, ballet master, and artistic director. These companies include Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Washington Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Norwegian National Ballet. As artistic director and board member of the Choo-San Goh & H. Robert Magee Foundation, he has staged 11 of Choo-San’s works for Singapore Ballet (SB), and more than 120 worldwide. In 2008, Janek was appointed as artistic director of SB. Since then, he has initiated programmes such as One @ the Ballet, Ballet Associates Course, Scholars’ Programme, SB Choreographic Workshop, and the Intensive Ballet Programme. Over the past decade, he has been part of several panels and committees for the National Arts Council, and has been frequently invited to judge at international ballet competitions. He was also honoured with the ‘Award for Culture’ by Singapore Tatler at the Leadership Awards 2015, a prestigious award that recognises the contribution of influential leaders in Singapore; and was conferred the Public Service Medal (PBM) by the President of Singapore at the prestigious National Day Awards 2017.
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Baptiste Bourgougnon (London Contemporary Dance School, Director of Undergraduate Programmes and International Development)IBGP Jury Member
Baptiste graduated at the National Conservatoire in Paris in 2000. His career began in Norway with Nye Carte Blanche before returning to France where he worked with Luc Petton and Gilles Schamber. In 2002 he joined Scottish Dance Theatre and worked with various choreographers such as Ruy Horta, Didi Veldman, Hofesh Shechter, Janet Smith, Willi Dorner. From 2006 Baptiste freelanced and worked with different companies such as Compagnie Maryse Delente, Ballet Lorent, Acronote, State Of Flux, Company Chameleon and Kieran Sheehan Dance Theatre. Baptiste has been teaching release and floorwork at the London Contemporary Dance School at The Place since 2012 and became Director of Undergraduate Performance and International Development in 2019.
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Rachael Hunt (International Artistic Manager, The Royal Ballet School)IBGP Jury Member
Rachael Hunt received her training at the esteemed Royal Ballet School. After graduating, she was invited to join the English National Ballet company, where she excelled in various roles spanning from corps de ballet to soloist and principal roles. She showcased her talents in a diverse repertoire, including iconic pieces such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Apollo, and Square Dance. Notably, Rachael had the privilege of having several pieces choreographed specifically for her, including works by renowned choreographers Robert North, Kim Brandstrup, and Mauro Bigonzetti.
Later, Wayne Eagling extended an invitation for Rachael to join the Dutch National Company, where she continued to showcase her versatility by performing works from choreographers such as William Forsythe, Christopher Bruce, Twyla Tharp, and Itzik Galili.
Transitioning from her successful dancing career, Rachael delved into the field of dance education. She pursued further training with the Royal Academy of Dance, earning distinction as a vocational teacher. Rachael gained international recognition as an esteemed educator, imparting her expertise to schools and companies worldwide.
Currently, Rachael serves as the International Artistic Manager at The Royal Ballet School, where she oversees auditions and intensive courses. Additionally, Rachael lends her expertise as an adjudicator for dance competitions on a global scale.
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Caren Carino (Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Dean, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Practices)IBGP Jury Member
Dr Caren Cariño, from Hawai’i, USA, has earned three related degrees: Doctorate in Southeast Asian Studies (Contemporary Dance Research); Master of Fine Arts (Dance Performance and Choreography); and Bachelor of Education (Dance). Her prolific professional career includes a wealth of experience as dance performer, academic, administrator, educator and advocate. She began with Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (USA), a ‘force for innovation in contemporary dance throughout the world’ and was also instrumental in the company’s dance education programme, with a mission to ‘make dance a viable part of everyone’s lives, whether as observers, critics, performers or creators’, a national model that still stands today. Dr Cariño eventually migrated to Singapore and was appointed Programme Leader/Lecturer (Dance) at Lasalle College of the Arts. Her current position as Vice Dean /Principal Lecturer (Dance) at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts since 2007 has seen her develop a conservatory-style dance programme with a contemporary outlook that has produced international independent and company dance artists. She has published and presented her research that focuses on education, performance and cultural studies in America, Asia and Australia. Dr Cariño is dance advisor to Singapore’s Ministry of Education, National Arts Council, People’s Association and World Dance Alliance.
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Christian Tàtchev (Queensland Ballet Academy, Director)IBGP Jury Member
Queensland Ballet Academy Director, Christian Tátchev, trained at the National School of Choreography in Sofia, Bulgaria. Performing his first leading roles shortly after commencing his professional career at age 16, Christian was promoted to Principal Artist at 21. His repertoire includes principal roles in the major classical repertoire as well as in numerous works by celebrated choreographers of modern times.
Christian joined Queensland Ballet, Australia, after participating in the Company’s 2008 International Ballet Gala. Following his retirement from the stage in 2011, he was appointed as the Company’s Ballet Master. He took up the position of Director of Training in 2013 and became the Queensland Ballet Academy Director in 2016.
In addition to Queensland Ballet, Christian has worked with The Sofia National Opera and Ballet, the Bulgarian contemporary dance company Ballet Arabesque, Performing Arts Council of Transvaal (PACT) Ballet, Cape Town City Ballet and the South African Ballet Theatre, where alongside his role as a Principal Artist, he was engaged as a Répétiteur.
Christian continues to perform with the Queensland Ballet as a Character Artist and frequently adjudicates at various national and international ballet competitions.
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Claresta Alim (Founder and Artistic Director of Indonesia Dance Company)IBGP Jury Member
International judge and ballet teacher. Ms Claresta started her training at Marlupi Dance Academy (MDA), she joined Beijing Dance Academy in 2008, at the same time she received a scholarship from Joffrey Ballet School and was also accepted to American Ballet Theatre Summer Session in the USA.
She began her professional career with Washington Ballet School and Art Ballet Theatre of Florida. During the time she has performed in many roles including Issaev’s Harlequinade, Fairy Doll, Le Corsaire, Raymonda, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Little Mermaid in Ballet, Shostakovich (3 Movements), Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin and Edgar Anindo’s Fragmentos.
Ms Claresta has groomed many students to international recognition, including being the first Indonesian to be invited to Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) and winning GOLD MEDAL at the YAGP New York Finals.
Her students have not only won numerous awards in international competitions but also received scholarships to the Royal Ballet School, The Australian Ballet School (full scholarship for the year programme), Princesse Grace Dance Academy, Houston Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Universal Ballet, The Rock School, etc.
Ms Claresta is also a well-known international ballet teacher, she has been invited to teach Master classes in the United States, Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Many students from all over the world also came and took classes with Ms Claresta and benefited greatly from her coaching.
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Garry Trinder (New Zealand School of Dance, Director)IBGP Jury Member
Born in England, Mr Trinder trained at The Royal Ballet School, Rambert School of Ballet and Maurice Béjart’s MUDRA. As a dancer, he worked with Scottish Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and London City Ballet. Mr Trinder’s extensive career includes six years as artistic director of Hong Kong Ballet and two years as director of dance at South Africa’s NAPAC Dance Company. He was appointed director of the New Zealand School of Dance in 1998. Mr Trinder also holds a master’s degree from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and an Advanced Diploma in Education from Newcastle University. In addition to his role at NZSD, he is associated with many international ballet competitions including the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland, the Japan Grand Prix in Tokyo and the Youth America Grand Prix in New York. Since 2011 Mr Trinder has assumed the role of President of the Jury for the Asian Grand Prix ballet competition in Hong Kong. He was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2013, for his services to dance.
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Jason Mabana (Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, rehearsal and production director)IBGP Jury Member
Jason Mabana is an international dance teacher and choreographer based in London. He holds a Ba (hons) degree from the Rambert School and a postgraduate Diploma from The Place.
Jason is the rehearsal and production director at the Rambert School and teaches Contemporary at both London Contemporary Dance School and The Royal Ballet School, where he shares his expertise and knowledge with the next generation of dancers.
In addition to his teaching commitments, Jason has created works for numerous renowned dance companies, schools and events, including Black Box Dance Company, Conny Janssen Danst, FDR, Hamburg Contemporary Company, Balletboyz, SpringBoard, Royal Ballet School, Stella McCartney, De Beers and more. His works have been nominated for Best Choreography in Denmark, the Asian Arts Awards, and the Amnesty International Freedom of Speech Awards, which is a testament to his creativity and talent.
As a sought-after guest teacher at conservatoires worldwide, he has taught at The University of the Arts in Amsterdam, University of Stavanger, and Hamburg Contemporary Dance School. Jason’s unique style of teaching comes from the fusion of contemporary and hip hop,
Throughout his career, Jason has also been a highly skilled dancer, performing with world-renowned dance companies such as Akram Khan Company, Wayne McGregor, Shobana Jeyasingh, and Candoco Dance Company. His experience as a performer has given him a deep understanding of the art of dance and has allowed him to bring that knowledge to his teaching and choreography.
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Joanne Michel (The Australian Ballet School, Ballet Mistress and Level 8 Classical Teacher)IBGP Jury Member
Born in Canberra of Polish parents, Joanne studied ballet with Katerina Druzins until the age of eleven, after which she went to Bryan Lawrence and Janet Karin, both former Principals of The Australian Ballet. At the age of fifteen Joanne was accepted into The Australian Ballet School and in 1977 she was accepted into The Australian Ballet Company, reaching the rank of Principal in 1982 where she remained until 1986. Throughout her dance career, Joanne had the privilege to work with many choreographers including Glen Tetley, Graeme Murphy, Jiri Kylian, and danced leading roles in Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Onegin, Romeo and Juliet, to name a few. She was awarded the Pavlova Prize by Serge Lifar in 1981 and the Inaugural Dance Australia Award for the most popular Female Dancer. In 1987 Joanne began teaching, freelancing around Melbourne and also adjudicating for the RAD and Cecchetti Society. In 2002 and 2003 she was Ballet Mistress for The Dancers Company Tour, having been a Guest Artist on the first tour in 1980. Since 2004, Joanne has taught the graduate year female students of The Australian Ballet School.
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KATE COYNE (Central School of Ballet in London, Artistic Director and Professional Training Lead)IBGP Jury Member
Born in London, Kate trained at the Royal Ballet School. She joined London Contemporary Dance School for a post-graduate year and joined London Contemporary Dance Theatre under the directorship of Sir Robert Cohan. Later she joined Rambert Dance Company with the appointment of Christopher Bruce as Artistic Director. In these repertory companies she worked on new and restaged pieces with a variety of choreographers. Pursuing a freelance dance career she worked as a long-standing member of Michael Clark Company, with DV8, Mark Baldwin Dance Company, Jeremy James and Dancers, Martha Clarke, Michael Keegan- Dolan, Arthur Pita and Aletta Collins. Kate retired from performing in 2012 and took up a post as Producer, Frieze Projects, followed by two years as Programme Director at Siobhan Davies Dance, and five years as Associate Director at Michael Clark Company. She is currently Artistic Director and Professional Training Lead at Central School of Ballet in London. Kate is also a trustee of The Dance Professionals fund. Kate has been the recipient of the Critics’ Circle national Dance Award for ‘Best Female Artist’, and a joint recipient with colleagues of the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance with London Contemporary Dance Theatre for their season at Sadlers Wells.
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Lisa Macuja (Ballet Manila, Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer)IBGP Jury Member
Lisa Macuja Elizalde – Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ballet Manila, a prima ballerina, is one of the most recognizable and iconic figures in the Philippine classical ballet landscape. Graduating at the top of her class from the prestigious school in 1984, now the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, Lisa debuted as principal ballerina in The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, and Giselle with the Kirov Ballet. Upon her return to Manila, she was the first artist-in-residence of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and performed as guest artist with Ballet Philippines until 1988 when she became a principal dancer of the Philippine Ballet Theatre.
In 1995, she established Ballet Manilla, and performing and leading the company’s performance all over the world. She formally retired from full length dancing in 2014 but makes periodic appearances in productions of Ballet Manila. Lisa is also the founder and directress of the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet, where she continues to train students in the Russian Vaganova method.
Lisa is frequently invited to conduct master classes outside of the Philippines – Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, United States of America, Hong Kong, South Korea, Russia, Spain, United Kingdom. She is also in the jury panel for many international ballet comptitions both in the Philippines and in the Asian Region.
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Melissa Quek (LASALLE College of the Arts, Head, School of Dance & Theatre)IBGP Jury Member
Melissa is Head of the School of Dance & Theatre at LASALLE College of the Arts and the Programme Leader for the Diploma in Dance.
She is also a choreographer, performer and educator whose choreographic interest lies in investigating the body-subject. Her works and creative process attempt to touch on questions of agency, materiality and perception to create a visceral experience for the audience.
Melissa enjoys multi-disciplinary collaborative works, Site based work such as site-specific outdoor performance Tracing the City (2016) and cause based performances and workshops such as Stride with Pride, a performance aimed at increasing respect for wheelchair users. She founded The Kueh Tutus (a collective dedicated to creating dance for young audiences) and has created several works that have been presented at The Artground, toured to regional libraries and appeared in the Esplanade’s Festivals Octoburst! and March On.
Melissa has managed and designed various MOE-NAC Dance related initiatives such as the Dance Talent Development Programme, and Strategic Partnership CCA (Ethnic Dance). She also mentors the choreographic work of young and emerging artists through institutions such as *SCAPE and occasionally writes dance reviews, articles and edu-packs to make contemporary dance more accessible.
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Robert Parker (Elmhurst Ballet School, Artistic Director)IBGP Jury Member
Robert Parker trained at the Royal Ballet School and joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1994, then under the directorship of Sir Peter Wright. He became a principal dancer in 1999, where he collaborated with artistic director and acclaimed choreographer David Bintley to create many leading roles for the company. He made guest appearances with the Royal Ballet and performed in many galas around the world. His accolades include a Critics Circle Dance Award nomination and an Olivier Award nomination in 2001 and a Critics’ Circle Award for Outstanding Male Artist in 2003. After retiring from Birmingham Royal Ballet, he passed his RAD Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma with distinction and completed a Master’s degree in Philosophy in Education. Robert became Artistic Director of Elmhurst Ballet School in 2012. That same year, he was appointed President of the London Ballet Association. He is regularly invited to adjudicate and deliver master classes at various international ballet competitions around the world.
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Tommy Neblett (Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Dean of Dance)IBGP Jury Member
Mr Neblett is the Dean of Dance at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. He has been in the dance profession for over forty years, first as a performer, then as a choreographer, educator, and administrator. For twenty-five of those years, he was co-Artistic Director (alongside his wife Diane Arvanites) of Prometheus Dance and their second company. He has also been on the dance faculties of Boston Ballet, Harvard University, Emerson College, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, The Dance Complex and the Oure Idraetshojskole in Denmark. Mr Neblett has led his dancers to perform at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival, Joyce SoHo, Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, and throughout the east coast of the United States, as well as in Spain, France, Denmark, Venezuela, Ecuador, and China. They have received numerous accolades for their work including eight Choreographic Artist Fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council; an award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement from Governor Deval Patrick; and a Creativity Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Wu, Yi-San (Chairperson and Associate Professor of Taipei National University of the Arts, School of Dance & Artistic Director of Yi Production)IBGP Jury Member
Wu, Yi-San, a distinguished figure in the world of dance, commenced her career as a professional dancer with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre and City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC), touring globally and participating in various International Dance Festivals from 1994 to 2006. Her exceptional journey includes membership in South ‘ASLI’ Dance Workshop from 1996 to 2001. In 2023, she received the prestigious Chinese Literary Award from the Chinese Writers & Artists Association C.W.A.A. Adding to her accolades, she became a distinguished alumna of Taipei Municipal Zhong Zheng Senior High School in 2022.
Acknowledged for her outstanding performance, Yi-San received the Hong Kong Dance Awards in 2000 and the 2009 Production Award through Unlock Dancing Plaza Community Culture Ambassador Project. She was featured in the Dance History of Hong Kong in 2003 and 2006. Yi-San was granted a full scholarship from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund in 2003, allowing her to study at the London Contemporary Dance School. She collaborated with renowned companies such as Random Dance Company, Akram Khan Dance Company, and Protein Dance.
With over 20 years of experience in teaching and choreography, Yi-San continuously explores diverse creative perspectives and collaborates with various media artists. Her works have premiered at esteemed platforms like Taiwan Co-dance Festival, Singapore Huayi Festival, DA:NS Festival, Asia Pacific Dance Festival, Beijing Dance Festival, and many others. Notable collaborations include performances with The Human Expression Dance Company (T.H.E), LASALLE College of the Arts, Crucible Dance Company in Germany, City Contemporary Dance Company, Beyond Dance Theater, E-Side Dance Company, and more.
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Ivaylo Alexiev (Assistant Principal of Boston Ballet School)IBGP Jury Member
With over two decades of extensive expertise, Mr. Alexiev brings invaluable knowledge to the judging panel. Beginning his career as a company member of Le Ballet de L’Opera National de Bordeaux in France, he has showcased his talents as an international guest artist across France, Germany, Russia, Malta, and the US, making notable appearances in numerous dance galas.
His diverse repertoire spans a wide array of ballets, including Raymonda, Divertimento #15, Symphony in D, The Prodigal Son, Suite en Blanc, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Cinderella, and many more.
Having worked under distinguished figures in European ballet such as Elisabeth Platel, Charles Jude, Irek Mukhamedov, Roland Vogel, Attilo Labis, and Eva Evdokimova, Mr Alexiev transitioned to teaching after retiring from the stage in 2015. He served as a rehearsal director for Festival Ballet in Providence, RI. He later joined Boston Ballet School in 2021 as a full-time faculty member. In recognition of his contributions, he was promoted to Assistant Principal in 2022.
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Lisa-Maree Cullum (Artistic Director of Tanya Pearson Academy)IBGP Jury Member
Lisa-Maree Cullum, a native of New Zealand, began her ballet journey at the age of 3 under her mother’s guidance. By the age of 14, she had committed to ballet full-time at the Tanya Pearson Academy in Sydney, Australia. Her exceptional talent was swiftly recognized when she secured the gold medal in the Royal Academy’s Adeline Genee Awards, followed by a Prix de Lausanne scholarship. This paved the way for her to further her studies at the esteemed Academie de danse Princesse Grace in Monaco, under Madame Marika Besobrasova’s mentorship.
Joining the English National Ballet at 17 marked the start of Lisa-Maree’s professional career. Soon after, she accepted an invitation from Peter Schaufuss to join the Deutsche Oper Berlin in Germany, where she swiftly ascended to principal dancer after her remarkable performance in the world premiere of Giselle. In 1998, she was offered a principal contract with the Bayerische Staatsballett in Munich, Germany, where she danced until 2015. In 2008, Lisa-Maree was honored with the prestigious title of “Kammertänzerin” by the Bavarian Ministry of Culture, recognizing her extensive contributions to ballet in Germany.
Lisa-Maree’s illustrious career took her to stages worldwide, including the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and many more. Since retiring from the stage, she has dedicated herself to mentoring the next generation of dancers, earning acclaim as a generous and passionate coach. Lisa-Maree’s expertise is sought after as a guest teacher for Masterclasses and as a jury member at prestigious ballet competitions, including the Prix de Lausanne in 2015. As the former Associate Artistic Director of the Bavaria Ballet Academy in Munich, Lisa-Maree brings over three decades of global experience back to her roots as the Artistic Director of the Tanya Pearson Academy, inspiring new generations of dance students to embark on their own illustrious careers.
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Yarra Ileto (Artistic Director of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Dance Synergy, Senior Lecturer at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts/ University of the Arts Singapore)IBGP Jury Member
Born and raised in Australia, Ms Yarra Ileto is a Singapore-based award-winning independent artist-educator, with extensive experience as an arts leader, teacher, professional dancer, and choreographer. She is the artistic director of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Dance Synergy and a full-time Senior Lecturer at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts/ University of the Arts Singapore (NAFA/UAS) teaching in the departments of both the School of Dance (diploma) and School of Interdisciplinary Practices (degree), training ballet and contemporary technique, improvisation, choreography, performance lab modules and industry projects.
Throughout her professional full-time dance career (2008-2016), Ms Ileto worked with world-renowned choreographers, performing, and touring extensively on international platforms across Asia and Europe as a pioneer member of The Human Expression (T.H.E) Dance Company led by established award-winning artist Kuik Swee Boon.
In 2017, Ms Ileto received The National Arts Council’s (NAC) prestigious Young Artist Award, Singapore’s highest honour for young people in the arts. As a choreographer, her works have been showcased at the Adelaide Dance Festival (Australia), Esplanade’s Da:ns Festival (Singapore), and M1 Contact Festival (Singapore) to name a few.
As an enrichment teacher and lecturer, she has groomed students to pursue professional development through dance education and has assisted secondary students through Direct School Admission (DSA) and vocational school admissions through contemporary dance training. Most recently, Ms Yarra served as an International Jury at the renowned Busan International Dance Festival’s AK21choreographic competition in 2023.
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Alysson Rocha (First Ballet Master, Ballett Dortmund, Germany)IBGP Jury Member
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Alysson was a finalist at the YAGP in 2005 and received a scholarship to study at the San Francisco Ballet School. He later worked at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, performing classical repertoire from renowned choreographers such as Yelena Pankova, Sir Peter Wright, Enrique Martinez, and Dalal Achcar. From 2011-2013, he was coached by Pedro Kraszczuk and Cecilia Kerche, and concurrently served as the choreographer and artistic coordinator of “Dançar a Vida Youth Company” in Rio de Janeiro.
In 2013, he joined Ballett Dortmund in Germany, creating roles alongside his director Xin Peng Wang and performing pieces from William Forsythe, Alexander Ekman, Jiri Bubenicek, and Demis Volpi.
Recognized for his creative work, Alysson won the “Dortmunder Löwe 2019” prize for his “Silent Orchestra” dance/music project. He was later appointed as the First Ballet Master with Ballett Dortmund, where he assists and preserves the pieces from Ballett Dortmund’s director, Alexander Ekman, William Forsythe, and other renowned choreographers.
Alysson was invited as a Teacher and at the YAGP Final in 2022. He was also invited by Prof. Dr. Alkis Raftis to become a member of the International Dance Council of UNESCO. Alysson’s extensive experience and dedication to the art of dance make him a valuable asset in his role as an international teacher and judge.
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Resmi Malko (International Ballet Tutor)IBGP Jury Member
Resmi Malko received his ballet training at the Academy of Ballet in Tirana, Albania. Upon completion of his training in 1985, he joined the National Opera Ballet Theatre in Tirana and was promoted to Principal Dancer within 5 years. He continued his career there for the next 15 years, performing in countries including Italy, France, Turkey, Greece, Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria, USA and Canada.
Resmi then immigrated to North America and performed with the USA Ballet and the Canadian company, Ballet Jorgen. In 2003 Resmi graduated with Distinction from the Teacher Training Program for professional dancers at Canada’s National Ballet School and joined the artistic teaching staff later that year. After 10 years with the NBS, Resmi joined the Central School of Ballet in London.
Students Resmi has coached have competed in international ballet competitions such as, the Prix de Lausanne and Genée International Competition where a student for the first time in the competition’s history won all three major gold medals. Choreographically, Resmi has staged classical repertoire for the Central School of Ballet’s End of Year performances and for the touring company, Ballet Central. Additionally, Resmi often returns to coach at the National Opera Ballet Theatre, Tirana.
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Tamara King (Associate Director of Boston Ballet School )IBGP Jury Member
Tamara King, is an experienced teacher, dedicated dance educator, and former professional dancer who is committed to providing high-quality dance education and training to students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Her association with Boston Ballet dates back to 1981 when she earned a scholarship for the Summer Dance Program. Following a successful professional career, King commenced her teaching journey at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, subsequently returning to Boston Ballet in 2001. She served as the Principal of the Summer Dance Program and earned promotion to Principal of the Newton Studio in 2004. In 2020, King assumed the role of Principal at Boston Ballet School, overseeing faculty, curriculum, and operations for the Classical Ballet Program across the Boston Ballet School and Newton studios, along with the Summer Dance Program. Recently, she was appointed Associate Director of Boston Ballet School, a testament to her ongoing commitment to dance education.