mission

The World Ballet Competition's (WBC) goal is to achieve and encourage excellence in the art of dance. We bring together competitors from around the world, from ages 10 to 22, and of all levels of experience from introductory to professional.

The World Ballet Competition aims to establish the first international dance platform in Orlando, Florida; attracting leading celebrities from the global entertainment industry while acknowledging and rewarding the future generations of eminent artistic talent worldwide. This annual event will be attended by major international dance critics and will be broadcast to all participating countries with a combined global internet and television audience of millions.

The World Ballet Competition is now in its fifth year of existence and is going strong due to its unbelievable support, participation and quality.

history

In the summer of 2007, Vasile Petrutiu (Founder and General Director of Central Florida Ballet) inaugurated the World Ballet Competition. The idea for the World Ballet Competition came with the intent to build support for the performing arts by making it more enticing to Americans. In our technology driven world, ballet and the arts have long been viewed as antiquated and boring. Therefore Americans have been left without a breath of culture and thus something had to be done. Noticing Americans’ keen curiosity with competitive reality television, Vasile Petrutiu decided to capitalize on its appeal.

All successful reality shows (“American Idol” & “Dancing with the Stars” to name a few) are based on recruiting raw talent, placing them under extreme conditions, and judging them to see who has the most ability.  In the World Ballet Competition, dancers from across the globe and of the highest caliber are placed under intense scrutiny of a world renowned judging panel. In addition, Vasile Petrutiu added unique elements to generate audience interest which include, an instantaneous computerized scoring system, live online broadcast, and drawing of numbers by each competitor the day before competition rounds encompass WBC’s unique features, unheard in other ballet competitions.

During several days of competition rounds, dancers fight to make it through to the final round where the winners are then rewarded with cash prizes, scholarships, job offers, and international recognition. Audiences are thrilled by not only their outstanding dance capabilities, but also by seeing competitors with raw talent become international stars.

The highlight of the World Ballet Competition is its concluding Gala of the Stars performance. With standing ovations after nearly every performer, this one of a kind show is not to be missed. The inaugural Gala of the Stars included world renowned dancer artists, Sascha Radetsky of American Ballet Theatre (and star of the major motion picture “Center Stage”), Israel Rodriguez of Orlando Ballet, Rasta Thomas, Larissa Ponomarenko and James Whiteside of Boston Ballet, Valentina Kozlova, Robbie Nicholson, and AntiGravity. The 2008 Gala of the Stars featured dance artists from San Francisco Ballet, Urban Ballet Theater, Complexions, Miami City Ballet, Corella Ballet of Spain, Carolina Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Momix, Boston Ballet, and Agape from Mexico. 

As the WBC is a great balance of both outstanding artistic merit and dramatic intensity it keeps audiences entertained and wanting more. In just three years, the World Ballet Competition has generated enthusiastic acclaim from countries far and wide, and has helped bring ballet into the 21st century. In 2007, the United Arts of Central Florida honored the inaugural WBC with an “Excellence in Arts” Award. Terpischore Entertainment covered the entire competition with a film crew for a three part documentary to be broadcast on the arts and entertainment cable channels in the USA and abroad. In 2008, the World Ballet Competition became the first ballet competition to be entirely broadcast live on the internet (with over 148,000 viewers watching and chatting online daily).

The third World Ballet Competition held in June of 2009, hosted over 80 pre-qualified competitors from all over the world coming to Orlando to compete for cash prizes and scholarships totaling over $100,000 in this unique competition which culminated in a star-studded Gala of the Stars performance. The 2009 Gala of the Stars featured 20 leading principal dancers including featured ballerina, Maria Kochetkova, winner of NBC’s “Superstars of Dance” among world renowned artists from New York City Ballet, Ailey II, Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Complexions, Miami City Ballet, Washington Ballet, and Transylvania Virtuoso.