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THE
USA IBC HISTORY TOUR
1986
June 15-28 |
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At
this time in USA IBC history, the Jackson
competition was part of a four-city cycle
that included competitions in Varna, Bulgaria;
Moscow, Russia; and Helsinki, Finland. (By
1986, Tokyo had been replaced in the official
ITI-sanctioned cycle of competitions by Helsinki.)
Early in the year, after a difficult but successful
struggle to lobby the state legislature for
the passing of a $375,000 appropriations bill,
the governor vetoed the appropriation. The
loss of funding was a terrific financial blow
to the USA IBC. Recognizing that Jackson could
lose the event to another city, former Mayor
Dale Danks called a meeting of Jackson’s
business and corporate leaders to save the
event. After a rallying fundraising campaign,
the required sum was obtained. Jackson had
rescued the USA IBC.
The competition took place
that year with dazzling success. At the
1986 competition, 89 dancers from 26 countries
competed, with dancers Andris Liepa and
Nina Ananiashvili becoming the first Soviet
competitors at the event. Liepa and Ananiashvili
also became the first winners of the competition’s
top prize, The Grand Prix City of Jackson
Award of Excellence.
“It was a thrilling
moment for all of us when we got the news
from the Bolshoi Ballet, telling us that
three dancers would be coming to compete
from the Soviet Union,” said Sue Lobrano.
“We were literally jumping up and
down. We were so excited, because we’d
never hosted Russians at our competition
before.”
The official USA IBC poster
in 1986 was based on an original painting,
titled Jeté, by artist Mauro
Scali of New Orleans, Louisiana. Kathy Thibodeaux,
Jackson native and senior silver medalist
at the previous competition, served as the
model for Scali’s painting. At the
close of the 1986 competition, the event
was selected as one of the “Top 20
Events in the Southeast” by the Southeast
Tourism Society. The Southeast Tourism Society
has recognized the USA IBC with this honor
every competition year since 1986.
View
a list of 1986 medalists by clicking
here.
View
a list of 1986 jurors by clicking
here.
View
a list of 1986 IDS faculty by clicking
here.
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Nina Ananiashvili (Grand Prix winner, USSR) and
Andris Liepa (Grand Prix winner, USSR) perform Le
Corsaire at the 1986 USA IBC.
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USA
IBC founder Thalia Mara works with Beth Ware at
the International Dance School, held at Jackson
State University in 1986.
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