International dancers descend on Jackson to compete, build community

Center of the ballet world

Every four years, Jackson becomes the center of the ballet world as guests, coaches, and dancers come from both near and far for the three-week event. 

As the dancer continues to rehearse, Jared Sayeg, the technical director and lead production stage manager of the International Ballet Competition, calls cues and communicates with the dancer’s coach. These technical rehearsals are the only chance dancers get on the actual stage before judging, and Sayeg says that lights, sound and schedules all have to be flawlessly executed so that each dancer is best presented.

“A huge part of my responsibility… is to design all those pieces and to make sure that they're executed properly for every single performance for that competitor,” he says. “And so that the international jury sees them.”

Competitors at the USA IBC move through three "rounds" of judged competition before a medal ceremony at the end of the event. All dancers will present a classical piece in round one. And, if they are chosen to move forward, they’ll perform a contemporary piece in round two. The finalists will perform two additional pieces — one of each form — in round three. 

A ‘bonding of nations’

Sayeg is a veteran of live entertainment, but he says there's one aspect that makes this event unique.

“We're dealing with different languages, ethnicities, cultures… which is what really makes this so fantastic.” he says. “To me, what's so incredible about this… the bonding of nations.”

Seventeen countries will be represented at the event, with coaches and dancers coming from all around the world. AnLin Li is originally from Beijing, China, but is coaching dancers who are training in Texas.

“What’s most special is…  you see all the dancers coming from different communities, different countries,” Li says. “You see different styles. … That's special for me.”

There are two age groups at the competition: the junior division and the senior division. Li says he enjoys seeing his dancers grow and improve from one level to the next. 

It’s Ohio-based coach Darielle Eberhard’s first time supporting competitors at the event. Wednesday was her first day in Jackson, which included a tour of the Millsaps campus, where the dancers are housed, and lunch with her colleagues. But she said later that day, it would be right back to business.

“Tonight, it's going to be four straight hours of rehearsal.”

Eberhard and Li are preparing their students for classes and rehearsals, which will take place in the Convention Complex next door. Competitors are offered dance classes throughout the event, where they can attend during downtime and train with dancers from around the world. 

The Mississippi connection
Judged performances all take place at Thalia Mara Hall, named after Thalia Mara, a performer and ballet teacher who founded the event almost 50 years ago. Mara was a longtime Jackson resident and played an integral role in having the event stay in Mississippi. In 1982, congress passed a resolution declaring Jackson the official site for the competition. IBC has returned to Jackson every four years since 1979, though the pandemic forced a five-year period between this competition and the last.

Throughout the years, Mississippi dancers have continued Mara’s legacy by representing the state as competitors at IBC. Alexei Orohovsky, a Hattiesburg native, is competing in the Junior division at 16 years old. He is currently training at the world-renowned John Cranko Schule in Stuttgart, Germany after graduating from high school in the USA early. Orohovsky earned a silver medal last year at the IBC competition in Helsinki, Finland. 

“I love bringing any kind of publicity and recognition to ballet and especially for my hometown in Mississippi.” he says. “Having this here is great and being from here is just even better.”

Katya Orohovsky, Alexei's mother and a ballet coach, says that he has performed all over the world. But being able to perform in his home state is very special.

“He’s got a lot of friends that are coming up from Hattiesburg to watch him, which he’s never had happen in a competition environment.” she says. “For him… just being home and doing what he loves… I just hope that he will have just an incredible experience. It's about the experience. It's not about the competition itself.”

She and her husband both teach ballet in Hattiesburg, making the art form a family affair. Katya said they have tried to instill in Alexei that ballet is a subjective art form, and his only responsibility in these competitions is to do his best.

“It's not a sport with, like, oh, you get 10 points for doing two pirouettes.” she says. “It's very much in the eye of the beholder and what one person sees as beautiful, another person may not like.”

For Alexei, his parents’ message has certainly stuck. He says getting a medal at this event is "secondary." The real reward, he says, is the community he's building during the competition.

“If I get [a medal] then that's that. But as for what I want from this competition, it's more just about the experience and being here at the IBC with many of these amazing dancers that I know and I'm friends with.” he says. “I think overall this competition is a great environment for dancers to really thrive and to get to know each other and to experience ballet as a whole.”

First Round performances begin Monday, June 12, and the competition will continue until the award ceremony on Friday, June 23.