WINNERS
JUDGES
RUMEN IVANOV RASHEV
He graduated in 1976, dancing at his graduation ceremony Pas de Deux from «COPPELIA» at the Kirov Theater (now Marinsky).
From 1977 to 1981 he was First Dancer of the National Opera of the City of Plovdiv. From 1981 to 1982 he was the First Dancer of the Arabesque Ballet. From 1982 to 1990 he was Dancer – Etoile of the Sofia National Opera. In 1990 he arrived in Venezuela invited by the Caracas National Ballet as First Dancer and Teacher. From 1991 to 1993 he was Artistic Director, Teacher and First Dancer of the Classical Ballet of Venezuela. In 1993 he was the First Dancer of the Youth Ballet of Venezuela. From August 1993 to 2001 he is Assistant to the Artistic Direction, First Dancer and Teacher of the Metropolitan Ballet of Caracas. He is currently a Professor at UNEARTE, Master of the Teresa Carreño Ballet of Caracas, Ballet Master in Endanza and the Ballet of the Americas Foundation. Graduate in Teaching, mention in Classical Dance and Postgraduate in Master’s in Latin American Theater.
He is currently the Artistic Director of the National Ballet of El Salvador
CARLOS PAOLILLO
Researcher and dance critic. Creator of university dance studies in Venezuela. Lawyer and Social Communicator graduated from the Andrés Bello Catholic University. Master in Cultural Management from the University of Barcelona, Spain.
Professor of Dance History and Choreographic Analysis at the Central University of Venezuela and the National Experimental University of the Arts. Honorary Teacher of UNEARTE. Dance critic for the newspaper El Nacional. Founder and President of the Young Choreographers Foundation of Venezuela. Recognized with the National Culture Award 2010-2012 Dance Mention. Winner of the Municipal Dance Award of the Mayor of Caracas 1991, 2007 and 2010.
MIGUEL ISSA
Bachelor of Arts graduated from the Central University of Venezuela and Master in Cultural Policies graduated from the Formation International Culture attached to the Sorbonne Nouvelle III. Diploma in Higher Education. For more than 30 years he has been a teacher in Music, Dance, and Theater, Director of Children’s Choirs, Actor, Dancer of different dance and theater groups in Venezuela.
In 1992 he made his debut as a choreographer at the VII Festival of Young Choreographers of Venezuela. Between 1989-1994 he was part of the Acción Colectiva company (Emblematic theater / physical company of Venezuela) and in 1995 he founded the DRAMO Dramaturgia del Movimiento Company together with Leyson Ponce, becoming one of the most important companies in Venezuela. His passion for opera has led him to specialize in acting training for lyrical singers and he has made several stagings of various operas and zarzuelas.
His musical knowledge has allowed him to create shows with a strong sonic presence, becoming a versatile director who easily fuses the genres of music, opera, dance and theater.
JULIAN GARAY
Colombian dancer, choreographer, producer and teacher graduated with honors from the Colombian Institute of Classical Ballet INCOLBALLET, 20 years of professional experience in the national and international sphere. Main dancer of the Contemporary Ballet of Caracas, Dominican National Ballet and the Colombian Ballet Company, where he always stood out as a versatile dancer, of noble character, notorious technical and artistic quality. His unforgettable performances in classical, neoclassical and contemporary works were applauded by audiences in dozens of cities around the world.
He gave life to Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Ephraim in Maria, Armando in The Lady of the Camellias, Lisandro and Demetrio in a Midsummer Night’s Dream, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Prince Desiré in Sleeping Beauty, Basilio and Camacho in the Don Quijote Ballet and Ali and Birbanto in El Corsario among many others.
RICARDO RODRIGUEZ
Venezuelan born in the City of Caracas. He is currently Artistic Director of the Teresa Carreño nucleo Catia Youth Ballet. Teacher at the Experimental University of the Arts (UNEARTE) where he teaches classes in classical technique, character dances, classical and neoclassical pas de deux repertoire. Coordinator of the NAZOA Classical Dance Stable Group, UNEARTE university group.
He was the first dancer of the Teresa Carreño Ballet, he also danced in companies such as the New World Ballet of Caracas, the Contemporary Ballet of Caracas, the Metropolitan Ballet of Caracas, the National Ballet of Caracas and the Youth Ballet of Venezuela.
He has played solo and main roles of the universal classical repertoire and works of new creators of dance in Venezuela and other latitudes.
LIZ PEREZ
Training in nationalist dance, gymnastics, yoga and contemporary dance. Dancer from Kreadanza 1997-1998 and EnPuropie 1998.
Founder, dancer and choreographer of PUROPIE Contemporary Dance from 1998 to 2010.
Dance teacher and director of the stable dance group of the Instituto Universitario de la Frontera (199-2004). Contemporary dance teacher at the National School of Dana headquarters Táchira (Endanza Táchira) from 2001 to 2014.
Founder and Director of Entredanza CFI since 2012
LUIS ARMANDO CASTILLO
Founder, Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer of the Companies «Rajatabladanza» and «Lapuesta».
Awarded by the Prix Fancaise de la Danse in 1984
Municipal Award of Caracas (1995) as the best choreographer of the year. Casa del Artista National Award for best dancer (1996). Award for the best choreography and best company with Rajatabladanza at the Bento Festival in Danca (1995),
Creative Director of Grupo Apeyro.
DIANA CATALINA GOMEZ
Diana Gomez Director of Ballet- Diana was born in Cali, Colombia, and trained at Incolballet. After her graduation, she joined the Colombian Company for three years under the direction of Gloria Castro. She got a contract with Ballet Gamonet in Miami Florida, under the direction of Jimmy Gamonet. After leaving Miami Diana joined Tulsa Ballet under the direction of Marcello Angelini, and performed Ballets by choreographers such as McGregor, Tharp, William Forsythe, Val Caniparoli, Ma Cong, Ben Stevenson, McMillan, Edward Liang, Volpini, George Balanchine, Cranko, Paul Taylor, Fabre, Hynd, Possokhov, Kudelka and Nicolo Fonte. Some of her Principal roles include Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Paquita, Coppelia, Dracula, Cinderella, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others.
She won the bronze medal at the Cuban International Ballet Competition, the Gold medal in World Ballet Competition in Orlando, and was a finalist at the New York International Ballet Competition. She has been invited to perform as a Principal Guest Artist in Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, Gala of International Dance Stars Cincinnati, South Florida Ballet Theatre, Ballarte, Bogota Colombia, Gala Commemorative Cali Colombia, Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami, Ballet Concerto of Miami, Rochester City Ballet and the 8th International Festival of Ballet Cali Colombia.
