Note: For the full IFMC’2009 report please check the Russian version of this site.

In the time form November 18 till November 21, 2009 the XXII Festival of Modern Choreography took place in Vitebsk. It is a decade and two more years. In general, what is “two”? It could be two people – he and she – or a man and the world, or the Earth and the Universe. From the point of view of the festival, these “two” could be a smile and sorrow, confirmation and opening, classics and avant-garde, and also it could be solo and duet.  However, our past, present and future is the exciting and responsible meetings of the artists and the audience, and the results of the creativity and the expectations of the audience do not always join in the applause of mutual recognition.

After the video cut, the following groups took part in the Belorussian competition of modern choreography:
- BGU arts and culture choreography sub-faculty ensemble, the choreographical triptych “Together, Always, Regardless”, choreographers: Eugeniya Shulyak and Olga Shamrova. The ensemble was awarded the prize “For the masterly performance”
- Contemporary dance group of Vitebsk State University, the miniature “The priest”, choreographer: Alexei Litvin
- “Karakuli” dance theatre, Minsk, the ballet “The Wedding”, the choreographer: Olga Labovkina. She became the laureate of the competition in the nomination “Artistic skills”
- Vilia Matsuk – the soloist of Vitebsk State College of Arts, the miniature “Bedtime story”, choreographer: Vilia Matsuk
- “Parallels” modern dance studio, Vitebsk, the ballets “Dasha. The 3rd version” and “In the space of expectation”, the choreographer: Anastasia Makhova
- Modern choreography theatre “D.O.Z.S.K.I.”, Minsk. The ballets “Rock-paper-scissors” and “Homo Sapience”. The choreographers Olga Skvortsova-Kovalskaya and Dmitri Zalesski became the laureates in the nomination “The best performance”
- The theatre of modern choreography, Vitebsk, the ballet “Pushkin’s gonna pay the light bill?”, the idea – Semen Davydenko, choreography – Diana Yurchenko
- “TAD” contemporary dance group, the miniatures “The fog” and “The wing of an angel”, the choreographer Dmitry Kurakulov became the laureate of the prize “The best performance”
- The project of Maria Kovalyova and Maria Triputen’ from Belorussian State University of arts and culture, Minsk, the miniature “The difference”

The participants of the festival guest program:
- “Boroditski Denis Dance Company”, Russia, the fragments of the performances “It’s a pity that you did not understand that…” and “Next to you”, choreography – Denis Boroditski
- “DSD Company”, The Ukraine, the miniature “The two”, choreography – Svetlana Bystritskaya
- The soloist of ballet school in Lodz, Sharon Petshak, Poland, the miniature “Winter”
- “Fine 5 dance theatre”, Estonia, the fragment of the performance “Phases”, choreography – Renee Nommik, Tiina Ollesk
- The soloist of Latvian National Opera, Ulvy Azizov, Azerbaijan, the miniatures “Break through” and “Gaytagi”, choreography – Ulvy Azizov
- “Excentric Ballet” of Sergey Smirnov, Russia. The opening night of the performance “Zadalechiny”, choreography - Sergey Smirnov
- “Evgeny Panfilov’s ballet” theater, Russia:
   the fragment of the performance “8 Russian songs”, choreography -  Evgeny Panfilov
   the fragment of the performance “P.A.B.L.O.”, choreography – Sergey Rainik
  choreographic buffoonery “Hootchi-coutchi”, choreography – Alexei Rastorguev
  the opening night of the performance “The flow”, choreography – Denis Boroditski
- “Cocoondance”, Germany, the play “Dating your enemy”, choreography and director – Rafaele Giovanola

The Jury of the competition:
- Valentin Yelizariev - the People’s artist of the USSR and Byelorussia, the choreographer, the prize-winner of International and  National competitions, the Chairman of the international jury of the festival, Belarus
- Dithmar Seifferd - the choreographer, the prize-winner of International competitions, the dean of sub-faculty of stage direction of Berlin University of Drama and Dance “Ernst Bush”, Germany
- Sergey Bondur - The People’s artist of the Ukraine, the artistic director of the theatre “Young Opera”, the Ukraine
- Sergey Smirnov – the choreographer, the prize-winner of International competitions, the winner of Russian National Prize "Zolotaya Maska", the artistic director of “Excentric Ballet” of Sverdlovsk theatre of Musical Comedy, Russia
- Renee Nommik – the choreographer, the dancer, the winner of International competitions, the artistic director of “Fine 5 dance theatre”, Estonia

The Board of Experts:
- Larisa Barykina - ballet critic, music expert, the critic and the researcher of musical theatre, a member of the council of experts for the Russian National Prize "Zolotaya Maska", art-director of the festival “The Fringe”, the Chairman of the council of experts, Russia
- Svetlana Gutkovskaya – choreographer, the prize-winner of International competitions, head of the sub-faculty of choreography, the professor of Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, Belarus
- Margarita Moizhes – art-director of the dance agency “MM AR Line”, Germany
- Vita Mozuraite – ballet critic, lecturer of History of Dance for the Vilnius Music Academy, Lithuania
- Wlodzimierz Kaczkowski – the art historian, the playwright? The producer and director of the stage of Warsaw theatre “The old powder flask”, Poland.

The information program of the festival. Apart from taking part in the work of expert board, Vita Mozuraite and Margarita Moizhes gave theoretical master-classes for the competitors of the festival. The pedagogues of practical master-classes were - Denis Boroditski, Tatiana Ostroverh, Tiina Ollesk and Renee Nommik. The organizers of the festival are thankful for help in organizing and carrying out of the festival to Sweden Institute. Thank to our colleagues, Marika Hedemyr, the choreographer and art director of Crowd Company (Göteborg), took part in IFMC’2009. Marika carried out the master-class, presented the selection of films of new dance cinema “Dance Screen Sweden” with the masterpiece of Pontus Lidberg “The Rain”. The soloists of her dance company appeared with the performance “Minutes 2.0”.

The partner of the festival is “Mobile TeleSystems, LLC”.

P.S. The international festival of modern choreography in Vitebsk is thankful for its competitors, admirers and hopes for the next meeting in New 2010. Wish you all the best of luck!

Eduard Chernivchan
The Photo is by Ivan Astashonok, Anna Moiseyuk
Poster IFMC'2009