It all began in 1996 with the first national Ballet / Contemporary dance competition held in Vienna, which later became one of the most important international competitions. They were organised by the Austrian Dance Council (ÖTR) under the direction of Prof. Karl Musil (2013†) and Prof. Evelyn Teri, both well-known international pedagogues and choreographers in the world of ballet. With its great success, further competitions took place in the years 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, and 2007 respectively. The ÖTR CONTEST acted as a big milestone for many winners such as Jana Salenko, Dinu Tamazlacaru, Nina Poláková, Liudmila Konovalova, Roman Lazik, Mihail Sosnovschi, Jakob Feyferlik, Daniil Simkin and many more, who have successfully reached major stages and achievements all around the world.
Prof. Karl Musil’s main concern was to revive and strengthen the awareness of dance, especially in the professional sector – initially unique in Vienna and Austria. Within a short time, through the enthusiasm and personal commitment of the management (Prof. Musil and Prof. Teri), the competition also developed on an international level. This was only done as a non-profit organisation, as an association, financed by sponsors. A feat of strength that has paid off!
In 2013, the EuDance ( European Dance Association), led by President Sophia Li, has taken over the organisation of the contest renamed as WienWeltWettbewerb. Ever since, the EuDance has arranged the 7th, 8th, and 9thInternational Ballet and Contemporary Dance Competitions in 2014, 2019 and 2021, respectively, which have also become one of the most prestigious competitions in Europe and its world of dance.
Due to the outspread of the global pandemic in 2020 and its challenges on the cultural sector, the latest edition was rescheduled twice and was eventually organised as part of an online event and has been marked as the competition’s first online edition, with great success. Despite the challenges in the cultural sector during this time, the EuDance organisers used the time to improve and rebuild the competition’s branding and concept and have finally announced its new name Ballet Grand Prix Vienna in June 2021.
Our masterclasses and seminars are conducted by renowned and highly qualified authorities in their professional fields. We have had significant jury members, such as Vladimir Malakhov, Susanne Kirnbauer, Jörg Mannes, Chan Hon Goh, Renato Zanella, Yifei Zhao or Park Jae Kaeun. Our goal is to provide an ideal platform for intercultural communication. Under usual circumstances, the competition closes with a gala evening and a selection of winners from the competition, who will get the opportunity to perform together with internationally famous dancers from different countries, amongst who were Matthew Golding, Davide Dato, Prisca Zeisel or Maria Yakovleva, and many more.
Prof. Karl Musil and artistic director Prof. Evelyn Téri are a solid foundation of knowledge and experience for the present event, which has grown into an international cultural exchange platform for aspiring dancers.
Our mission is to promote excellence in dance, support artistic and cultural diversity, and provide more opportunities for the public to experience the best in classical and contemporary forms. Furthermore, it is our goal to inspire and educate the public about dance through the production and presentation of high-quality events and educational programs, as well as to find established dance artists from around the world and promote them in Vienna, the capital of art and culture. Not only do we offer students the experience to present themselves in the contest pool, but we also aim to provide this opportunity to professional dancers to benefit from learning the best from renowned dance artists.
„Wie erhebend – noch junge Menschen mit Einsatz, Fantasie und uneingeschränkter Liebe zum Tanz auf der Bühne sehen zu dürfen!“
Karl Musil, 2007
Sophia Li
President of the EuDance,
Executive Director
Prof. Evelyn Téri
Artistic Director
