International Ballet

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Like the mythical Scottish village of Brigadoon, which came to life once every hundred years, Jackson, Mississippi, becomes the center of the ballet world once every four years.”For two exciting weeks, dancers from around the world, along with students and teachers, company directors and ballet patrons converge on this southern town to compete for prizes, study with master teachers, offer company contracts and enjoy some of the world’s best dance performances. The USA International Ballet Competition has become known as a Festival of Dance.Founded in 1978 by Thalia Mara, the first USA International Ballet Competition took place in 1979 and joined the ranks of Varna, Bulgaria (1964); Moscow, Russia (1969); and Tokyo, Japan (1976). These first competitions were given sanction by the International Dance Committee of UNESCO’s International Theater Institute. Today, international ballet competitions flourish worldwide, and the USA IBC in Jackson remains one of the oldest and most respected competitions in the world. In 1982, the United States Congress passed a Joint Resolution designating Jackson as the official home of the USA International Ballet Competition. Jackson held subsequent competitions in 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002.

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