Shanghai International Ballet Competition
China - Xian - Beijing - Guangzhou - Chengdu - Dalian - Shenzhen - Shanghai - Hangzhou
Shanghai International Ballet Competition was held for the first time in the city in 1995. The International Ballet Competition was China's first international competition. The competition was organized at a time when there was unprecedented financial backing from the government, corporate support, and popular acclaim for ballet in China.
The International Ballet Competition in Shanghai showcases works by international choreographers, classical ballets, and newer works that use classical technique and Chinese folk dance to tell Chinese folk stories, often with folk accoutrements. A very popular ballet is the White-haired Girl which is the most frequently requested work on tours with more than 1300 performances.
The competition had attracted over 102 competitors from 14 countries in its second year. Some of the countries that had participated in the 2 nd edition of the festival include China, Russia and the United States. A total of 19 prizes were given out which had a value of 550,000 yuan. The highest prize in the competition is known as the Great China Prize which is estimated to be worth 12,000 US dollars.
Shanghai received the approval from the Ministry of Culture to hold the Shanghai International Ballet competition every other year. Organizers of the competition are also engaged in applying for recognition from the UNESCO for the event.
