Hungarian Dance University (HDU) concluded its International Summer Intensive Ballet Course (ISIBC 2025) held for the third time in its renewed format on Saturday, August 16. Over the course of two weeks, nearly seventy participants visited the institution, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and based on the participants’ feedback, everyone enjoyed a meaningful and enriching time in Budapest. As part of the programme, excellent professionals including Aki Saito (former jury member of BBGP and Prix de Lausanne) worked with participants who intend to compete in the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix in November.
The International Summer Intensive Ballet Course at the Hungarian Dance University this summer brought together young talents from across the globe in a high‑quality summer ballet course setting. With expertly led classes in classical technique and ballet repertoire, the ballet course offered opportunities in pas de deux and Progressing Ballet Technique under world-renowned instructors PapagenoMTE. This summer intensive ballet course also served as a preliminary round for competitors aiming to participate in the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix, an international ballet competition and ballet contest organized by MTE in November PapagenoHungary TodayHungarian Conservative. The synergy between the ballet course and the ballet grand prix elevated the experience, offering students exposure to top-tier performance and competition — fostering growth both in artistry and ambition.
Photos by Pál Csillag (HDU)
Regarding the event, the masters especially highlighted the university’s excellent infrastructure, the comfort of the studios and apartments, as well as the smooth organization and friendly atmosphere.
The summer course, which took place between August 4 and 16, featured guest masters including Aki Sato, Kim Ji-Young, Zsolt Tibor Elek, Anton Valdbauer, Edit Domoszlai and Britt Juleen.
An important accompanying program of ISIBC 2025 was the personal coaching sessions provided for those wishing to apply to the III. BBGP, the international ballet competition to be held from November 17–21, 2025. In these one-on-one sessions, the highly acclaimed ballet masters and world renowned ballet stars, Aki Saito, Britt Juleen and Kim-Ji-Young reviewed the dancers’ ballet repertoire individually and offered personal professional insights to support their successful applications to Budapest Ballet Grand Prix. During the summer course, participants were continuously updated on the results of the preliminary selection process of the international ballet competition.
It is important to note that there is great interest in the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix, with more than fifty applications submitted so far.
The team of the Hungarian Dance University, main organizer of ISIBC 2025 and the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix, worked painstakingly over the past two weeks to ensure that every participant left the course with unforgettable memories and significant professional experience.
The organizers believe in continuous development, as stated by course director and ballet master Tamás Csizmadia:
“I hope that next year, using this year’s experiences, taking suggestions into account, and adapting to participants’ needs, we can once again organize a similarly successful summer intensive ballet course together.”
