Ibstage 2016: The consolidation of a magnificient project

Ibstage Students after Paquita Suite at el Liceu.
Foto: Josep Guindo

Another Ibstage edition took place in Barcelona and again it has been a great success of participation. For three weeks, around hundred and sixty young students from twenty nationalities, have followed the classes of some of the best teachers from the most recognized international schools. At the end, they danced in two galas with some of the most acclaimed ballet stars, in a Liceu with almost no seats available.

Carolina Masjuan

As in previous editions, the holiday month par excellence has forced many vacationers to return a few days in Barcelona to enjoy this unparalleled event. Three weeks of classes and open rehearsals with free attendance at the Institut del Teatre and two Galas of the highest level at the Liceu, have called for ballet-addicts who took advantage of such an opportunity.

Vadim Muntagirov and Daria Klimentova
Foto: Josep Guindo

We spoke with Leo Sorribes, Ibstage director, along with Xiomara Reyes and Elías García (art directors) and he told us that Ibstage is consolidating thanks to the increased support they are receiving and to the interest of prestigious schools such as Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, JKO in the USA,... who recommend their students to follow these courses in Barcelona. Many students also come from Japan and Italy and a still small percentage of Spaniards, around 35%.

"In addition we can speak of a “IBStage audience” as tickets were almost sold out. We calculate an occupancy close to 90%" tells Leo and he keeps on "for next year my dream is that we can have live orchestra in the Galas." It also should be noted that dance schools have promotions of 40% discount for good locations in different areas of the Liceu for teachers and local students to not have to miss the show for economic reasons.

Students of Ibstage in Paquita.
Foto: Josep Guindo

But Ibstage isn't only about ballet classes taught by the best teachers of the best schools, it is also a platform for many of its participants to find contracts with companies such as Houston Ballet (Samuel Rodriguez), Royal Ballet (Maria Luisa Ishida), or American Ballet (Paulina Gaski) the three winners of the 2015 Ibstage awards. This year we already can mention the young Jarod Curley who will join the ranks of the American Ballet.

In addition to the many scholarships offered either by the Ibstage itself and by its sponsors, mainly the Banco de Sabadell, other opportunities are given. Jan Spunda and Kyono Chantal Morin winners of the Junior OWPD Prize "On Stage With a Principal Dancer" will dance a pas de deux in the next year Galas. The main OWPD prize went this year to the Italian young dancer Gloria Benaglia. She will return next year and will share the stage at the Liceu with one of the great guest dancers.

Andrey Ermakov and Oksana Skorik.
Foto: Josep Guindo

Regarding the Galas, it is absolutely fantastic to see all these stars sharing the stage with students. Their generosity and the magnificence of their art are an example and an encouragement for the new generations that are coming up.

Meanwhile, the young dancers learn the choreography with the possibility to dance different fragments in which everyone can participate. It is very clever and also very original the way the participation of the guests and the suite of the classical ballet are structured for the Galas. Also an educational talk about the ballet "Paquita" which was the one represented in this edition, was given by Professor of Art History at the University of Urbino, Francesca Bottacin.

It has been a plus for the students who were able to learn of it and also helped them to get more involved in the role. Five pianists in total, Roberto Infiesta, Ismael Elberdei, Carlos Silva, Rocio Sevares, Oscar Machancose were responsible for ensuring the accompanying music during classes.

The young dancers opened the Gala with the usual Défilé, choreography by Elías García and music by Anatole Liadov. It's always exciting to see them appear as professionals despite his youth and all the Liceu getting embroiled by their enthusiasm and excitement. The climax of the second part arrives with the Paquita suite, choreography by Marius Petipa, music by Edouard Deldevez and Ludwig Minkus with adaptation and staging of Elias Garcia, Xiomara Reyes and Rinat Imaev.

Steve McRae and Iana Salenko.
Foto: Josep Guindo

The participations of the young dancers were marked by their technical skills and enthusiasm. The level of the guys was really great and among the girls we can mention Alexandra Urcia who leaded the series of fouetés at the Grand Final, alternating simple and double fouetés with other ballerinas joining her up to the conclusion of the series. The extremely musical and delicate young Italian, Gloria Benaglia (winner of OSWPD) that captivated us in her solo in the Adagio and also the charming little dancer, Sarai Omi. However it is very difficult and unfair to talk about students because honestly every one deserves a mention. Please find the complete list at the end of the article of those who performed at the Gala, as they all should receive our gratitude for these two evenings of good ballet.

Ada González and Xander Parish.
Foto: Josep Guindo

And if when talking about ballet "sublime" is often a word that comes to mind, I can not imagine right now a better example to represent this than the performance of Ada González as Giselle. Ada is one of many Catalan dancers forced to emigrate. After training at the Centre de Dansa de Catalunya, Ada began his career in the Ballet of Sibiu, Romania, where the following year she was already Principal, dancing all the leading roles of the classical repertoire. Now she will join the main company in Romania, the Bucharest National Opera.

Ada thrilled the Liceu audience with a wonderful Giselle in the Pas de deux of the second act, which requires a mastery of technique while a sensitive and emotional interpretation. Her partner was the handsome Xander Parish Principal at the Mariinsky and both achieved that many of us found ourselves with nearly tears in our eyes while applauding enthusiastically.

Larisa Lezhnina and Juanjo Arqués.
Foto: Josep Guindo 

The Spaniard Juanjo Arques and Russian Larisa Lezhnina contributed with the most contemporary piece, the Pas de deux of Black Cake by Hans van Manen, choreographer they both know well because of their links with the HET Nacional Ballet. With music by Stravinsky "Story of a Soldier" it was a delight to know more about this choreographer that is not often seen here and to be able to appreciate his work by means of these two great performers. The response of the audience confirmed the success it was to include this fragment in the Gala.

As for the other proposals, we must speak of high voltage wit the Black Swan of Australian Steve McRae, Principal at the Royal Ballet and the Russian ballerina, Iana Salenko, currently principal at Ballet of the Berlin Opera; The Corsair of Oksana Skorik and Andrei Ermakov, who also danced Scheherazade, choreography by Agrippina Vaganova and music by Riccardo Drigo, on Sunday and the D.Q. of Daniil Simkin, principal of ABT and very loved and admired at the Liceu, where he has danced in several occasions, including last year Gala of IBStage, and the young Russian ballerina Tatyana Melnik star at the Hungary Opera Ballet.

Her Kitri variation in the coda surprised to be different to what we are used to and delighted us. Her entrance with its liveliness, her balances and fouetés with fan where really outstanding. Some Pas de Deux we usually see in Galas but each one bringing its distinction and unanimously celebrated by an audience completely captivated.

Tatyana Melnik. Foto: Sila Avvakum

The masterpiece it is Balanchine's Tchaikovsky PDD amazed us by the musical and charming Lauren Curbhertson Principal at the Royal Ballet, who on Saturday also offered us the PDD of the third act of Sleeping Beauty with Xander Paris. Vadim Muntagirov, currently principal of the Royal Ballet, once again delighted us with his high and elegant dance, either as a partner of Laureen in Tchaikovsky PDD, and with Daria Klimentova who was his usual partner at the English National Ballet, in Mashkovsky Waltz.

Steve McRae. Foto: Josep Guindo

This piece with choreography by Vasilij Vainonen and music by Maurice Moszkowski, is a magnificent and unknown work for most of us, with spectacular jumps and lifts while very musical. It has been very loved by an audience completely dedicated. Daria, also present in other editions of Ibstage was a Principal at the English National Ballet and she is currently a teacher at the Royal Ballet School.

Two exciting solos completed the participation of the guest stars: Iana Salenko was wonderful as the Dying Swan... what an arms and what an interpretation! She left us speechless.. and Steve McRae returned with overflowing energy with his solo of tap dancing, Something Different, choreographed by himself with Tap music. Fan of this discipline after having had to learn it because of the role created for him by Christopher Wheeldon in Alice in Wonderland, he was spectacular and the Liceu response was truly passionate.

Paulina Waski who won the 2015 OSWPD Prize, could not enjoy the opportunity to share stage with a Principal Dancer in Galas, as she had a contract with the ABT and these days the American company was in Paris, invited by the Paris Opera Ballet, to dance at the Bastille the Alexei Ratmansky's Sleeping Beauty, in which she already has a solo, the Sapphire Fairy variation.

Daniil Simkin. Foto: Sila Avvakum

And we can not forget to mention the Liceu audience. The audience of the IBStage Galas was there because they love dance, an art they respect, they value and because they form a community very grateful to have such a unique opportunity in Barcelona and probably all over the word, to enjoy in a single show the dance of some of the greatest stars worldwide, together with passionate and enthusiastic young talents who are called to be the stars of the future. Each and every one of the attendees was truly moved and excited and demonstrated their feelings by a warm acclaim.

Moreover, thanks to the Visual Producer, Carmen Tanaka, the Galas could be seen live worldwide in streaming with a total participation of about 12,000 people. From these recordings two DVD's will be available shortly.

A perfect show from start to end for two evenings to never forget. Ibstage, we are looking forward to seeing you next year!!!

GENERAL INFO

http://ibstage.com/ 

7 editions from which 4 in Barcelona.

1.093 participants in total

23 Nationalities

94 Teachers

Sponsors 2016

Fundació Banc de Sabadell. Yumiko. Autocars Pujol. Hoel Vilamarí. Restaurant THAI Barcelona y Elx.

And with the support of : Grand Teatre del Liceu. Diputació de Barcelona. Institut del Teatre. Generalitat de Catalunya (Departament de Cultura). Ajuntament de Barcelona.

Ibstage students, Guests Stars and Ibstage Directors
at el Gran Teatre del Liceu after the Gala.
Foto: Josep Guindo

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Students of the 2016 edition who participated at the Liceu Gala

AIRI FATJó
AKARI SHIBAMOTO
ALBERTO MORALES PéREZ
ALEJANDRO POLO
ALESSANDRO CAVALLO
ALEXANDRA VERONESE
ALEXANDRA URCIA NUNURA
ALICIA SEDEñO ALCáNTARA
ANA FABREGAT ARAEZ
ANITA WOLLEB
ANNA PUJOL
ANNA YEH
AVA QUINN HILZENDEGER
CARLOS LóPEZ MUñOZ
CATERINA BROWN
CATO WILLIAM BERRY
CELIA THOUMASSIN
CHIH-YING CHEN
CHRISTINA HENARES
CLàUDIA GIL CABúS
DáNAE RICO ABAD
DANIELE ARRIVABENE
ELLA KULICKI
ELOISE HAZLEWOOD
EMILY SAMUEL
EMMA PLESNIKOVA
ESTELA COLL PORTELL
FEDERICA BERTANI
FLAVIA MORANTE
GABRIELLE LA MURA
GILLES DELELLIO
GINEVRA ZAMBON
GLORIA BENAGLIA
GRETA MANZATO
HANNA VOGEL
HéCTOR BOTO
HéCTOR ORTEGA GONZáLEZ
IAN BULACK
IRENE ESTEVEZ HERNANDEZ
ISABEL VILA AGUIAR
JAN SPUNDA
JAROD CURLEY
JIACHEN SUN
JOEL SELVA BENITO
JOHN MURPHY
JúLIA MOLERO GODíNEZ
JúLIA PAGèS
KARLA GIOVANNA MONTAñO HERNáNDEZ
KYONO-CHANTAL MORIN
LAIA RUIZ
LAURA TRABALóN
LUCA RIGHI
LUCIE RYSER
LUCINDA STRACHAN
MANAKA KONO
MAR SOLER ESCAFI
MARíA ISABEL TRABALóN
MARIASOLE MEGGI
MARIONA MORANTA CAPLLONCH
MARTIN NUDO
MATTEO GARATTONI
MATTEO VENTURINI
MAX AZARO
MICHELLE LEBOWSKI
MINA SOPHIA SCHüRER
MIREIA REYES VALENCIANO
MURIEL BERMEJO
NICOLáS ALCáZAR SANCHEZ
NINA BOTTACIN
OKADA RISAKO
PABLO GONZáLEZ
PALOMA BERJANO
PAU PUJOL CASTIBLANQUE
PAULA MATEU BORRAS
RENA TAKAHASHI
REO MORIKAWA
SAKI TANAKA
SARA BARBIERI
SARA NATIVI
SARAI OMI
SHAY OTTOLENGHI
SOANA MADSEN
SOFIA ALBERTA BIANCHINI
SOFIA BIRAL
SOFIA VERONESE MILIN
STEFANO MILIONE
TAKUMA NAKANO
VIRGINIA DELLA BALDA
VIRGINIA LENSI
WILLIAM JACKSON BECKHAM
ZOE BLISS MAGNUSSEN