25 May 2016

Kimin Kim is “Dancer of the Year”

Mariinsky Ballet Principal Dancer Kimin Kim has won the Benois de la danse prize in the category “Best Male Dancer”.

Each year the ever-changing jury of the Benois de la danse prize, consisting of the dance world’s most respected figures, proposes nominees (choreographers, dancers, composers and designers) for the best work in ballet, and at the gala concert the “best-of-the-best” are announced. In line with tradition the Chairman of the jury is Yuri Grigorovich. This year the jury comprised Étoile of the Opéra de Paris Marie-Agnès Gillot, Artistic Director of the Compañía Nacional de Danza of Spain José Carlos Martínez García, Artistic Director of the Swedish Royal Ballet Johannes Öhman, Professor Xiao Suhua of the faculty of dance of the Beijing Academy of Dance, Italian ballet star Elisabetta Terabust, Acting Director of the Mariinsky Ballet Yuri Fateyev and Executive Director of the Joyce Theatre Linda Shelton (New York). The presentation of the award, a statuette crafted by sculptor Igor Ustinov, a descendant of the illustrious Benois family, took place on 17 May at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

Mariinsky Theatre Principal Dancer Kimin Kim received the award for his performance of lead roles in La Bayadère at the Opéra de Paris and the balletSchéhérazade with his home company at the Mariinsky Theatre.