After four unforgettable days, the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix (BBGP), Hungary’s largest and most prestigious international ballet competition, came to an end at Müpa Budapest Festival Theatre following the final on Thursday evening. The event featured the winners of the three categories of the competition and the special prize winners.
In connection with the Gala Concert and the concluding five-day event, Tamás Nagy, Chairman of the Artistic Council of the Hungarian Dance University, BBGP’s Competition Director was interviewed.
Photos by Adrienne Horváth (HDU)
“The Gala Concert started after the award ceremony with a gala performance given by the Hungarian Dance University. In agreement with the university’s Rector Fodor-Molnár Márta, I think that as organisers, we should show the unique range of training that our university has as the only one in Europe. The folk dancers really touched the hearts of the audience.
Then, for 40 minutes, everyone could see the high quality of this year’s competition. To be honest, it was very difficult for the jury to decide beforehand, because we had so many great ballet artists and it was already at the final and later on that small nuances decided between the participants.”
When asked how the competition could develop for the third one to be held in 2025, the competition director, a former soloist with the Dutch National Ballet who performed in the United States, France, Italy and Germany, said the goal is different now.
“I think that the organisation of the competition has reached the standard that should be maintained. Of course, there is always room for improvement, but we have received excellent feedback. As for the ballet aspect, I feel better every day. Having seen the high-quality performances after the final, we struggled with the confusion of abundance when putting together the gala programme. Our goal of bringing excellent ballet artists from many countries to our country was achieved.
I think everyone has seen and experienced that we are organising a really high-quality ballet competition. We need to repeat this year after year, and then more and more people will want to visit us. The most important thing now is to give young and talented competitors a chance, and all the conditions were there. This is important for the university and for all the participants who come here. Our most important goal is the development of young ballet artists.”
The Gala was a great success at the sold-out performance in Müpa Budapest, which could be sensed form the applause. During the evening, special prizes were awarded, and the winners were congratulated. The importance and value of the prizes were emphasised by Tamás Nagy, who said that a scholarship or an invitation can influence the whole career of a ballet artist, because it gives him or her the opportunity to develop and to be noticed by a company or institution.
Congratulations to all the participants!
See you next year at the 3rd Budapest Ballet Grand Prix between 17 and 21 November 2025.
Final results of the 2nd Budapest Ballet Grand Prix:
Junior category:
- TORGYN LEBEN (KAZ)
- DARYA MITROFANOVA (KAZ)
- LILY KIYAMA (JAP)
Senior category:
- SHINNOSUKE YASUUMI (JAP)
- MIKEL ARANA ARZAK (ESP)
- CLÉMENCE RHODE (FRA) and HOMMOCHI SAKURAKO (JAP)
Pas de Deux category:
- BOGDAN VERBOVY (KAZ) / Arisha Hashimoto (JAP), not as a competitor
- EUNSEO KIM / JUNG EUNSEONG (KOR)
- LILI NÉMETH / SÁMUEL GRIBOVSZKI (HUN)
Young Talent Award – The City of Budapest
122 Mira Jászovics
130 Márton Balog
Best Hungarian Performer Award – Hungarian Academy of Arts
117 Dóra Kócsó
129 Boróka Kosaras
Best modern – Herendi Porcelain
220 Dohee Kim
231 Benedek Sánta
HDU Special Award
229 Mikel Arana Arzak
HDU special recognition
309 Arisa Hashimoto
JURY special recognition
303 May Barrutia Santaren
Grand Audition 100% scholarship to Barcelona
307 Levente Bajusz
offered by David Makhateli, D&D
Grand Audition acceptance to Amsterdam
235 Sakurako Hommochi
offered by David Makhateli, D&D
Awards, prizes presented at the National Dance Theatre:
1 week scholarship
105 Arshak Barseghyan
122 Mira Jászovics
124 Inoue Yunoka
206 Rin Hosoi
offered by Aki Saito
MTE ISIB Course 50 % discount (tuition fee)
105 Arshak Barseghyan
106 Torgyn Leben
123 Jorika Draaijers
125 Taisei Ishiguro
127 Alejandro Rosa Constantino
Special Award 200 Euros offered by iDancestore
110 Réka Papp-Fekete
Invitation to take class 1 week at Northern Ballet
229 Mikel Arana Arzak
232 Shinnosuke Yasuumi
offered by Federico Bonelli
Invitation to summer school at Northern Ballet school full scholarship
305 Sámuel Gribovszki
offered by Federico Bonelli
Invitation to 1 week scholarship at Polish Ballet
227 Clémence Rhode
offered by Krzysztof Pastor
100% scholarship acceptance
232 Shinnosuke Yasuumi
offered by the Hungarian Dance University
