History

Riga is recognized in Europe as a city rich in ballet traditions, having produced such famous dancers as Maris Liepa, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Aleksander Godunov, Vladimir Gelvan and others. In keeping with these traditions the International Baltic Ballet Festival in Riga each year brings together ballet stars from Baltic Sea states and all countries all around the world.

The initiator and artistic director of the Festival is the president of the Latvian Professional Ballet Association, Latvian prima ballerina and choreographer Lita Beiris.

The main objective of the Festival is to popularize the ballet by bringing together classic and modern ballet ensembles, dancers and choreographers from all of the Baltic Sea states. The motto of the Festival is "From Classical to Avant-garde". The IBBF programme is conceived according to this principle and includes the latest and most interesting new choreographies from the countries participating in the Festival. The ballet performances of festivals presented works of the following contemporary choreographers: John Neumeier, John Cranko, George Balanchine, Jorma Uotinen, Jurius Smoriginas, Maya Murdmaa, Lita Beiris, Jan Linken, Cristine Caprioli, Glen Tetley, Emil Weselowski, Ulf Gadd, Juan Carlos Garcia, Mats Ek, Keneth Mc Millan, Angelen Preljocaj, William Forsyth, Rami Be'er, Yevgeny Panfilov, Russel Adamson, Jiri Kylian, Boris Eifman, Palle Granhoj, etc.

The Festival also seeks to promote the exchange of innovative ideas among artists whose theme is the ballet and between the ballet schools of different countries. The programme includes exhibitions of ballet art, ballet music concerts, ballet school performances, seminars and exhibitions of children's art as well as the ballet seniors meetings take place.

The IBBF has become a celebrated feature in the tableau of cultural events that take place in the Baltic region and it has also provided a significant contribution to the festivities to celebrate Riga's 800th anniversary in 2001.

The Ballet evenings with the ballet soloists and choreographers from the three Baltic States are created and presented since 1993.
The proceeds of the International Ballet Evening at Tivoli in Copenhagen in 1995 were donated to the Riga Choreographic School and to retired Latvian ballet stars.

The 12th IBBF 2007

participated – Chicago Dance Company GIORDANO JAZZ DANCE, Spain Dance company BALLET FLAMENCO de MADRID, Cambodian Dance Theatre Apsara Arts Association’s “Celestial Dancers”.

The 11th IBBF Riga 2006

participated – Croatian National Ballet from Split with performances “Daissa, East of Eden” and “Adeus”, Hans Hof Ensemble /the Netherlands/ with performance “Temtapsi Island”, Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre /USA/, Latvian Academy of Culture, Vanemunde Theatre /Estonia/, Vilnius School of Ballet /Lithuania/, Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory /Russia/.

The 10th IBBF Riga 2005

participated - Chelyabinsk Contemporary Dance Theatre /Russia/ with performances “Waiting” and “Staring into Eternity”, Jo Strømgren Dance Company /Norway/ with premiere “The Hospital”, New York’s Battleworks Dance Company /USA/, Ballet de Lorraine /France/.

The 9th IBBF Riga 2004

participated – Yevgeny Panfilov’s Men’s Fight Club /Russia/, Dance Company “Granhøj Dance” with performance “8 IQ No Woman, no Cry…” /Denmark/, Andželika Cholina Dance Theatre with performance „The House of Bernarda Alba” /Lithuania/, Tallin Dance Company „Fine 5” with I. Stravinsky’s „The Rites of Spring” performance /Estonia/, Latvian National Opera Ballet troupe.

The 8th IBBF Riga 2003

participated - Yevgeny Panfilov’s Ballet of the Fat /Russia/, Prague Chamber Ballet /Czechoslovakia/, Lithuanian State Opera and Ballet Theatre with performance “Red Giselle”, Vanemuine Theatre Dance Company with performance “Tango of Love”, Pedro Pauwel’s performance “Spectre (s).

The 7th IBBF Riga 2002

participated - the Perma State Theatre “Yevgeny Panfilov’s Ballet” /Russia/, AURINKOBALETTI /Finland/, Dance company “DANTEA” /Spain/ with “Semblanzas”, Modern Dance Company “KINETIC THEATRE”, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre Ballet troupe, “ESTONIA” Theatre’s Jazz Ballet troupe, Ballet troupe of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Riga Choreographic School.

The 6th IBBF Riga 2001

participated - the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company /Israel/ with performance “Aide Memoire”, Jo Stromgren Company and Dance company with performance “There” and Ingun Bjornsgaard Prosjekt /Norway/ with performance “The Afternoon and Others”, Anzelika Cholina Dance Theatre / Lithuania/ with performance “Tango in Fa”, Estonia theatre Jazz Ballet with performance “In the Duke’s Mood”, Dance group Dzirnas with performance “The King”, ballet group of the Latvian National Opera.

The 5th IBBF Riga 2000

participated – Swedish Ballet Company Cullbergballet withs performance “Giselle”, Dance Company Rubato /Germany/ with performance “This is not a Love Song”, Jo Stromgren’s Dance Company with performance “A Dance Tribute to the Art of Football” /Norway/, London Jazz Dance Company Bullies Ballerinas /UK/ with performance “Bare-feet and Crazy Legs”.

The 4th IBBF Riga'99

participated – French ballet company Ballet Preljocaj with performance „Romeo and Juliet”, the Danish Modern Dance Theatre MBT with performance “Woyzeck”, Ballet Schools of Sweden, Norwegian and Finland, Riga Choreography School, ballet troupe of the Latvian National Opera;

The 3rd IBBF Riga'98

participated - ballet troupe of the Latvian National opera, Tallinn Ballet School and
Riga Choreography School.

The 2nd IBBF Riga '97

participated – Modern ballet company “New Now Dancers” /Denmark/, ballet troupe of the Finland’s National Opera, the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Estonian Theatre of Opera and Ballet ESTONIA, ballet troupe of the Latvian National opera;

The 1st International Baltic Ballet Festival (IBBF)

in Riga - April 1996, to coincide with the International Day of Dance;
participated - ballet soloists and associations from nine Baltic Sea states - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden.

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