From 18 to 22 November 2024, the second international Budapest Ballet Grand Prix took place in Budapest, Hungary, marking a triumph for the graduating students of the Vocational School-College of the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography. Torgyn Leben won first place, Darya Mitrofanova secured second place, and Ademi Zhanabil received a diploma of distinction.

The Budapest Ballet Grand Prix is a prestigious international competition that brought together young dancers from 31 countries worldwide. This event provided participants with a platform to showcase their mastery on a global stage, attracting the attention of professionals in the field of choreographic art.

Throughout the competition, Ademi Zhanabil performed a variation from the ballet “Paquita” (music by R. Drigo, choreography by M. Petipa), Darya Mitrofanova presented a variation from the ballet “The Talisman” (music by R. Drigo, choreography by M. Petipa), and Torgyn Leben performed Princess Aurora's variation from Act III of “The Sleeping Beauty” (music by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa).

In the final round, Ademi Zhanabil delivered a captivating performance of a variation from the ballet “The Fairy Doll” (music by J. Bayer, choreography by the Legat brothers), Darya Mitrofanova presented Cupid's variation from the ballet “Don Quixote” (music by L. Minkus, choreography by A. Gorsky), and Torgyn Leben gave a brilliant rendition of Medora’s variation from the ballet “Le Corsaire” (music by A. Adam, choreography by M. Petipa), showcasing the exceptional training of the Academy's students.

The programme was prepared under the guidance of Svetlana Kokshinova, Head of the Vocational School-College and teacher at the Academy.

In addition to the performances, Budapest Ballet Grand Prix participants had the opportunity to attend masterclasses in classical dance led by world-renowned professionals.

Furthermore, a roundtable discussion titled “Meet the Jury” was organised for the participants. The jury included internationally acclaimed cultural figures such as Gyula Harangozó, Honoured Artist of the Hungarian Republic and former director of the Vienna State Opera and Vienna Volksoper; Maia Makhateli, prima ballerina of the Dutch National Ballet; Polish choreographer Krzysztof Pastor; Federico Bonelli, principal dancer of The Royal Ballet; Aki Saito, prima ballerina of the Royal Ballet of Flanders; and Zoltán Tamás Nagy, Chairman of the Artistic Council of the Hungarian Dance University.

The grand finale, featuring 35 participants from 14 countries, took place on the stage of the National Dance Theatre.

“Winning prizes at prestigious international competitions like the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix, as well as the earlier success at the Arabesque International Ballet Competition in Perm, where our students secured second and third places in the junior group, demonstrates not only the talent and dedication of our young students but also the high professional standards of the Academy's training. Participating in and winning such events provide our students with invaluable experience, inspire them to achieve new heights, and contribute significantly to the development of the Kazakh school of ballet. This is an important step in strengthening Kazakhstan’s presence on the global ballet stage,” noted Altynai Assylmuratova, Artistic Director of the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography.