Entry Information

Heats: Saturday, 12 July 2025 | Concourse, Concert Hall

All entrants present a classical ballet solo before an audience. Traditional classical repertoire is allowed. Time limits up to 3 minutes.

Adjudicators' reports will be written for the classical solos only. No marks will be given on these reports.

Semi-Final: Sunday, 13 July 2025 | Concourse, Theatre

Up to 40 entrants will be selected to perform their free variation solo before an audience. No adjudicators' reports will be written for the round.

Masterclass: Monday, 14 July 2024 | Concourse, Studio

Up to 18 entrants will be selected to attend a masterclass which is closed to the public. The masterclass will take place over approximately 90 minutes.

Dancers selected to progress to the Final will be announced at the end of the masterclass.

Each finalist will be required immediately after for interviews with the adjudicators.

Finals: Sunday, 20 July 2025 | Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall

Eight entrants will be selected to perform two routines:

i.  Classical ballet solo from the Heats

ii.  Free contrasting routine from the Semi-Finals

These will not be performed consecutively. Please be aware of the music upload requirements. Time limits up to 3 minutes for each routine.

After the free variation, all finalists are asked to change back into their classical costumes for the presentation and photographs on stage.

Adjudicators

Slava Tutukin

Area of Specialty:
Classical ballet, Contemporary, Dance

Slava Tutukin, a former principal ballet dancer, is currently a producer, manager, and director. Trained at the renowned Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, he worked as a principal dancer at the Mikhailovsky Theatre and Aalto Ballet Essen. After retiring from the stage, Slava has held significant roles in the arts sector, including managing the Linz State Theater's dance company in Austria, serving as Managing Director at the Tanya Pearson Academy in Sydney, and working as Manager and Deputy Artistic Director of the Dortmund Ballet Theatre and NRW Junior Ballet in Germany. He has produced and curated various projects, including international ballet galas, capacity-building workshops, and corporate events for luxury brands. Recent projects include the Sydney International Ballet Gala, Heaven on Earth Ballet Week in the Maldives and Cartier’s new high jewellery presentation in Vienna. As a mentor and dance educator, he has led master classes and training sessions for Ballet Dortmund, NRW Junior Ballet, Youth Ballet WA, Vaganova Summer Intensives Academy, and Tanya Pearson Academy. Slava holds a BA (Hons) in Business Management and a professional certificate in accounting from England and currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Theatre and Performance in Australia.

Dr Chiara Ajkun

Chiara Ajkun serves as Artistic Director of the Ajkun Ballet Theatre, a vital part of New York City’s art scene and home of the professional company and ballet school since 2000. A multi-award winning choreographer, her works have been commissioned by theaters in 27 countries and performed by renowned artists from companies such as American Ballet, Royal Ballet, Paris Opera, Het National and Stuttgart Ballet. Her choreographic collection, The Originals, forms the signature repertory of the Ajkun Ballet Company. Chiara’s ballets are characterized by powerful physicality, emotional expression, and rich narratives. Her unique dance vocabulary is rooted in classical ballet and blended with contemporary elements, emphasizing the artistic qualities of the dancers. Dr. Ajkun created the Ajkun © Methodology, a science-based ballet system integrating research from Harvard and NYU, which originated the solely approved U.S. international trainee program of its kind. Chiara strives to shift ballet teaching away from outdated methods by prioritizing the well-being and diversity of each dance student. Under her leadership the Ajkun Ballet School fosters small class sizes, a personalized learning experience and enhanced employment outcomes. Chiara 's belief in the transformative and inclusive power of the arts led to the establishment of the AjkunBT Fund that, along with the theater, has provided over 5 million US dollars in funding to dancers of 135 nationalities to participate in the programs of the Ajkun Ballet Theatre. Chiara Ajkun is a former principal dancer, university director and EU consultant for dance education. She has also worked for national television productions, opera competitions and as senior adviser for Creative Europe. She is currently serving as a consultant for the public school districts of New York and Westchester County in the USA.

Important Notes

All entrants must submit the following, no later than two weeks prior to the Heats:

* Music for Classical Routine

* Music for Contemporary Routine

* A 70-word biography

* A short statement outlining your current and proposed training, and how the Sydney Eisteddfod Junior Classical Ballet Scholarship might help you. * A publicity picture in colour as a JPEG file - in high resolution (minimum 2M.B.)

* Proposed repertoire for Final (required: title of the solo and ballet, the choreographer, and the composer of the music).

Changes to repertoire cannot be made any later than the fortnight leading up to Heats.

All music is to be uploaded to the Sydney Eisteddfod Entrant Portal no later than two weeks prior to the event. Files should be in MP3 format.

Please use the following format when naming your file: Event Number_ Entrant First & Last Name_Style (e.g. Event 423 _Emily Jones_Classical)

Please note: A separate upload is required for classical and contemporary routines. Email: [email protected] if you have any questions relating to this submission method

Clothing Requirements for Heats & Masterclass:

Option 1 - Dark tights and a fitted plain t-shirt (any colour)

Option 2 - White or pink tights and a sleeveless plain leotard (any colour)

Conditions

1.      Previous winners not eligible.

2.      Event is open to any dancer who is a citizen or permanent resident of Australia or New Zealand. ~ Residency and proof of age documents will be sighted upcon progression to the Semi-Final. This can include a Birth Certificate, an Australian or New Zealand passport, or a permanent resident stamp. A student ID is not acceptable.

3.      Adjudicator reports will be written for the heats only. No marks will be given on these reports.

4.      The awarding of the scholarship(s) is at the discretion of the adjudicators and is given on the understanding that the recipient(s) will undertake study for the furthering of their dance career both domestically and or internationally.

5.      In awarding the scholarship the adjudicators will take into consideration presentation, current level of achievement and potential.

6.      The scholarship must be utilised within two years of winning and completed within two years thereafter. The payment of instalments is upon application to Sydney Eisteddfod with satisfactory reports of progress from the recipient's teacher or teaching institution.

7.      The Winner, Runner-up and Finalists must be reasonably available for media interviews and performance engagements. Sydney Eisteddfod will endeavour to continue to provide performance opportunities to alumni as a way of staying connected and nurturing the creative practices of all.

8.      Please also refer to the Dance Rules & Conditions of Entry.

Prizes

Winner: Total Prize $7,000 ($1,000 cash, plus a Scholarship of $6,000 over two instalments).

 2nd: $1,500.

Finalists: $500 each (excluding place-getters).

Houston Ballet Academy Award

Courtesy of Houston Ballet, at the discretion of the Artistic Director, a finalist may be offered the opportunity to attend a 4-week intensive with the Houston Ballet Academy based at the Houston Ballet Centre for Dance, a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Houston’s vibrant theatre district. The 4-week period will be arranged for a mutually convenient time with the recipient of the award and Houston Ballet Academy. The Academy is the official school of Houston Ballet, America’s fourth largest ballet company. Under Stanton Welsh as Artistic Director, Houston Ballet is recognised as one of the nation’s leading ballet companies.

The Tanya Pearson Memorial Award

In honour of one of the world’s pre-eminent teachers of classical ballet, an award of $800 and a Tanya Pearson Memorial Medal & Certificate will be presented to a Junior Ballet Finalist who displays the highest level of artistry and stagecraft in keeping with the teachings of Tanya Pearson OAM. The funds are to assist with the costs of training and competition fees. The winner also receives workshop scholarships to the value of $595.