Fifteen ballet schools have awarded scholarships to 19 students of the 2018 USA International Ballet Competition Dance School. The awards were presented at the conclusion of the two-week school that was held in conjunction with the 11th USA IBC, June 10-23, in Jackson, Mississippi.
The 19 scholarship recipients were chosen from 104 dance students from four nations who completed the 2018 USA IBC Dance School. Students trained with leading teachers in ballet and contemporary dance daily and attended competition performances nightly. All classes met in the Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center at Belhaven University, where students lived.
With amounts ranging from half tuition to full tuition for 2019 summer study programs, the scholarships were offered to the following students (alternates are in parentheses):
Kansas City Ballet – Amanda Kuebler, Colorado (Sarah Bedford, Mississippi);
Maryland Youth Ballet – Sage Jernigan, Alabama (Elle Herrington, Mississippi);
Next Generation Ballet – Wilton McDowell, Mississippi; Polly Ryals, Florida; Devonna Curtis, Mississippi;
Oklahoma City Ballet – Bella Chelette, Louisiana (Camila Araujo, Lima, Peru);
Pacific Northwest Ballet – Isabelle Rhodes, Arkansas (Shelby Rambo, Louisiana);
Texas Ballet Theatre – Victoria Mungan, Mississippi (Blaire Shelton, Mississippi);
Anaheim Ballet – Naomi Felix Aldebol, Florida (Annabelle Mack, Louisiana);
Ballet Chicago – Alana Barasorda, California (Kathryn Lawrie, Mississippi);
Ballet West – Graham Barnes, Tennessee (Kristina Lorelli, Mississippi);
Carolina Ballet – Aubree Lavergne, Louisiana (Polly Ryals, Florida);
Cincinnati Ballet – Sammy Wheat, Mississippi (Cade Butler, Mississippi); Ellie Crawford, Alabama (Lotus Drada, Louisiana);
Grand Rapids Ballet – Maxyne LeBlanc, New Brunswick, Canada (Anna Leah Jolly, Mississippi);
Houston Ballet Academy – Gwyneth Smith, Tennessee (Kyla Downey, Arizona);
Joffrey Ballet School – Connor Batson, Mississippi (Kallie Green, Maryland); Elena Remez, Washington D.C. (Elizabeth Nelson, Missouri);
Joffrey Ballet Year Long School – Carlos de Quesada, Florida (no alternate).