MORE than 100 young dancers from throughout Australia and New Zealand will compete in Wodonga this weekend for thousands of dollars in cash and international scholarships.
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Wodonga-based international choreographer and dancer Tim Podesta founded the Australasian Ballet Challenge in 2016.
The Regional Academy of Performing Arts director Podesta said there was an overwhelming response to the inaugural competition.
“Our intention was to run it every two years but we were overwhelmed with the response to last year and the number of people wanting to know when it would be on again,” Podesta said.
“We have more than 100 entries from all over Australia and New Zealand so the standard is very high and partly driven by the cash prizes and chance to win scholarships to places like the Harid Conservatory of ballet in Florida and Ballet Wales in the UK.”
Podesta said the high-calibre judges attracted many of the young dancers to the competition.
“Clare Morehen is a principal with the Queensland Ballet, Robbie Moorcroft from Ballet Wales and international guest artist Kristy Lee Denovan make up the panel and means the feedback for the dancers will be at the highest level,” he said.
Workshops and solo performances for ballet and contemporary dance on Saturday will decide Sunday’s finalists.
The Cube Wodonga will host the challenge with competition sessions open to the public.
Preliminary solo performances start today at 11am with other categories from 6.30pm.
For details visit www.thecubewodonga.com.au.