Yesterday, Budapest Ballet Grand Prix 2024 has finally started. The event is organised for the second time in the Hungarian capital and it has attracted young talents from over 30 countries. Following the pre-selection process, eighty participants will present their skills to a jury of world-renowned ballet artists and choreographers. To open the series, the five-member jury introduced themselves in a panel discussion on the evening of 18 November, when the contestants were invited to ask them questions.
The interactive round-table event, ‘Meet the Jury’ was held at the National Dance Theatre, where, in addition to the judges, guests had the opportunity to meet some of the organisers of the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix. On day zero, Zoltán Tamás Nagy, Chair of Arts Council of the Hungarian Dance University, Associate Professor, Competition Director of the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix, welcomed the participants and moderated a discussion with the jury members, where the audience could learn more about the life, vision and artistic approach of the professionals.
Photos by HDU / Hype
This year’s jury is chaired by Gyula Harangozó, Merited Artist of the Hungarian Republic, member of the Society of Immortals. The Kossuth Prize-winning dancer is the former director of the ballet companies of the Wiener Staatsoper, the Wiener Volksoper, the Ballet School of the Vienna State Opera and the Hungarian National Ballet.
The chair of the jury believes, based on his own experience, that no one can take away the time you put in to prepare, so no matter what prize you end up with, the real reward is the hard work and knowledge you have gained in the months leading up to the competition. Events like this are also a great way for a young artist to show and test themselves in a foreign environment and test how they perform under pressure.
“It’s art, we have to be artists in it”, he stated and stressed that technical skills are important, but that ballet is no longer just about technical skills. In his opinion, personality is one of the most important aspects, but also artistic attitude, openness, the ability to learn quickly and the willingness to improve and constantly strive for the best.
They agree with their fellow judge, Polish choreographer Krzysztof Pastor, the Artistic Director of the ballet company of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. As a choreographer, he stressed that for him, the most important things in a dancer are musicality, quality of movement and personality. Technique is now the point zero, and it would be difficult to make a decision based on that alone. Sometimes he even sees imperfection as part of the personality, the journey to perfection, where the artist is able to express himself at the highest level, which he finds very exciting.
When he finished his career as a dancer and started working full-time as a choreographer, he found the change a little daunting at first. This was later replaced by excitement, as it was not quite what he had expected. He describes his work as a special experience, seeing dancers giving their all on stage, giving their all, which is not an easy task:
It’s a bit like falling in love. Sometimes it is dangerous, but often incredibly inspiring.
Another member of the jury, Maia Makhateli, prima ballerina of the Dutch National Ballet, reported a similar passion. While she believes it is important to develop a strict routine to get the most out of the competition – Zoltán Tamás Nagy also told the audience that the artist had asked for a separate studio space to practice and keep in shape during the competition – it is also important to remember to take time to recover, to relax and to be driven by a passion for the art form.
Makhateli, who is also a mother as a lead dancer, tries to balance her artistic duties and her role as a mother, which she says is not easy. Nevertheless, she tries to live her joy in both roles as deeply as possible.
Aki Saito, the fourth member of the jury, a former prima ballerina of the Royal Ballet of Flanders and a faculty member at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp, believes that competitions are important for students and young artists because they inspire them to work harder and give talented young people the chance to show their talents. She says it is important to perform to the best of your technical ability, but you should also remember the joy of dance, which is why you are on stage.
„When you go to a competition, you focus on technique, which is really important in ballet, but you must not forget the joy of dancing, putting your personality into it”, Saito said when addressing the young audience.
In her opinion, the stage does not judge you, and there is also the opportunity to play a variety of characters. It’s worth experimenting, recognising the areas where you feel comfortable and can make the most of your art, whether it’s classical or contemporary. Not everyone can be equally strong and creative in every situation, but you can learn from everything, even if you don’t succeed at first.
The fifth member of the jury, Federico Bonelli, a former soloist with the Royal Ballet of London and Artistic Director of the UK’s Northern Ballet, also believes that it is worthwhile to embrace your art in as many ways as possible, as different approaches can have a positive impact on creativity.
When he moved from dancer to artistic director, he found the change daunting at first, but inspiring at the same time. Since then, he has been working to stage works that move him and the company artistically. His experience has taught him to remember that there is an opportunity to ask for help when you feel stuck. External perspectives can often help overcome obstacles and give an artist new perspectives.
At the end of the discussion, the audience had the opportunity to ask the jury members questions. Most of the speakers were keen to get information that could help them in the following days’ competitions, so they tried to find out what the judges’ preferences are, what qualities they value most and what common mistakes the competitors should avoid.
The judges’ answers were mostly unanimous. Grooming, poise and handling of mistakes are critical, while beyond technical professionalism, it is the personality and the depth of the emotional message conveyed on stage that is the most important factor. They say that it is often the little things that make someone stand out among the many professionals and convey the underlying message of their performance.
At the end of the discussion, Ziegler Ostya Ltd., the sponsor of the 2024 Budapest Ballet Grand Prix, presented the jury members with a gift package, which was handed over to the artists by the owner of the company, Ágnes Ziegler.
The programme of the event will continue at the National Dance Theatre, where on 19 and 20 November 2024, the contestants will compete in the semi-finals, followed by the finals on 21 November 2024. On 22 November, the winners will present their performances to the audience at a gala evening at Müpa Budapest, where the awards ceremony will also take place. For details of the programme click here.
