The 9th Beijing International Ballet Competition for Dance Schools and Dance Performance 2025 will be held in Beijing from October 22 to 27, organized by Beijing Dance Academy with the support of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission. As one of the most influential international events in the global dance community, this event will bring together top ballet artists, educators, and young dance students from around the world for a high-level celebration of ballet. Building on the World Dance Education Alliance, established in 2024 under the leadership of Beijing Dance Academy, it will feature leading masters from member institutions in the UK, the US, Belgium, Hungary, Slovakia, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, and other countries, who will hold dance workshops and present a rich and diverse range of dance performances, comprehensively highlighting the latest achievements and trends in international dance education.
Authoritative Panel of Judges, International Standards
This year’s judging panel is led by towering figures in the international ballet community, featuring an unprecedentedly strong lineup:
Chairman of the Judging Panel
Nina Ananiashvili
Director of the State Ballet of Georgia
Judges
Kevin Durwael
Director of the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp, Belgium
Eric Quilleré
Director of Dance at the National Opera of Bordeaux, France
Ivan Gil-Ortega
Artistic Director of Queensland Ballet, Australia
Takayuki Kashino
Head of Japan Ballet Association Kansai
Vladimir Malakhov
World-renowned ballet dancer, former Director of the Staatsballett Berlin, Professor of the Ballet Department, Beijing Dance Academy
Xin Lili
Artistic Director of the Shanghai Ballet
All members of the judging panel are authoritative figures in the international ballet community, ensuring both the professionalism and fairness of the competition, while also providing participants with a valuable opportunity to engage with world-class masters.
International Dance Brand Event
Building on the World Dance Education Alliance, a widely representative platform for international exchange and cooperation, and highlighting the distinctive talent cultivation of international dance schools, this event is structured into three main sections, offering a rich and diverse program:
International Ballet Competition: The competition is divided into Groups A, B, and C, open to young dancers aged 13 to 24, offering individual awards and serving as a platform for the cultivation and selection of international professional dance talent.
High-Level Dance Showcase: Invited member institutions of the World Dance Education Alliance will present their latest outstanding achievements in international dance, highlighting the richness and diversity of global dance culture.
Master Workshops: Bringing together world-renowned dance masters, these workshops offer participants and dance enthusiasts access to high-quality international dance artistry and professional educational resources.
Number of Participants Reaching a Record High
Since its inception, the competition has capitalized on its international influence and professional prestige to attract leading dance companies and elite dancers from over 20 countries across five continents. This year, a total of 161 outstanding dancers from both home and abroad applied to participate, setting a new record and underscoring the event’s rising international profile and artistic appeal.
During the summer vacation, the Academy stepped up preparations for the competition. The Organizing Committee engaged authoritative experts to conduct a rigorous preliminary evaluation of the entries via online video. At the meeting, President Xu Rui outlined the requirements and plans for the preliminary evaluation of the Beijing International Ballet Competition for Dance Schools, stressing that judges should select the most outstanding dancers fairly and impartially to ensure the event’s authority and high standards. Following intense competition, 60 dancers advanced to the semifinals, including 25 international and 35 domestic participants. These exceptional dancers will gather in Beijing to perform on a higher-level stage, offering audiences around the world a spectacular showcase of dance art.
Click Here for the List of Semifinalists
Competition History and Achievements
Committed to becoming a world-class institution, Beijing Dance Academy has actively contributed to building Beijing into a cultural center and a center for international exchanges. Since 2006, the Academy has hosted the “Beijing International Ballet Invitational for Dance Schools and Dance Performance” biennially. So far, the event has been successfully held eight times, attracting 72 top dance companies from 45 countries and regions across five continents, with a total of over 800 outstanding dancers and performers participating. Now it has evolved into a key international platform for talent cultivation, academic research, and cultural exchanges among renowned dance experts and leading dance institutions worldwide. With a significant impact on dance education exchanges both domestically and internationally, it has become one of the highest-profile events in the global dance community, often referred to as the “Olympics of Ballet Schools.” Past award winners, including Maria Khoreva (former principal dancer of the Mariinsky Theatre, Russia) and Qiu Yunting (principal dancer of the National Ballet of China), have become leading figures in the international ballet world. This year’s event marks the first competition held since the founding of the World Dance Education Alliance, using the Alliance as a platform and the competition as a vehicle to contribute Chinese efforts to the advancement of global dance education.
Beijing in the Golden Autumn of October
The 9th Beijing International Ballet Competition for Dance Schools and Dance Performance 2025
Looking forward to celebrating this grand event with you!
For more details, please visit the official website of the event: www.balletbda.com
Source: Official Website of Beijing Dance Academy, News Issue No. 1856, 2025 Issue No. 128
