About Us
The International Ballet Association SARA-NORA PRIMA
and the Bourgas State Opera are organizing for the first time an International Ballet Competition in the city of Bourgas only for professionals: ballet schools’ students and artists from ballet companies.
The Competition is named after the renowned Bulgarian prima and long-time director of the Ballet of the Sofia Opera, Ms. Sara-Nora Krysteva.
The Competition aims at supporting professional ballet-players and their future development. To this end, the event comprises also a ballet academy with master classes led by undeniable names of the world ballet.
International jury will assess and award the winners and the awards, except prize-money, shall be: guest performances in various ballet theatres, one-year contracts, participations in other competitions, specializations as well as training in world-renowned institutions.
The event will be annual and the Association is supported by the Bourgas Municipality for the first edition. Patron of the First International Ballet Competition will be the City Mayor, Mr. Dimitar Nikolov.
We wish success with the first edition to promoters and participants!!!
SARA-NORA KRYSTEVA
Sara-Nora Krysteva graduated at the National School of Dance Art in 1996 in the class of associated professor Kalina Bogoeva. Still as a student, she had successful ballet appearances which found their expression in 1995 in a award for ballet achievements and award for most promising young performer at the National Competition “Anastas Petrov”. In the academic year 1995-1996 she was awarded a scholarship “Anastas Petrov”.
Immediately upon her graduation, she joined the ballet company of the National Opera and Ballet passing through all categories from ensemble to soloist, although she started playing also difficult solo parts still upon her appointment.
Since 2003, she has been Prima-ballerina and since 2009 – the youngest director of the National Ballet.
Repertoire: Kitri and Carmencita – “Don Quixote”, Myrthe – “Giselle”, Odette-Odile – “Swan Lake”, Zobeida – “Scheherazade”, Lilac Fairy and Aurora – “The Sleeping Beauty”, Effie – “La Sylphide“, Marguerite Gautier – “La dame aux camellias”, Elina – “Goat horn”, Marina and Madame Hortense – “Zorba the Greek”, Indian Doll – “The Nutcracker”, soloist in settings by Balanchine and in “Polovtsian dances”, Black Knight – “Crusaders”, Evil Sister and Mother – “Cinderella”, many concert solos and Pas de deux.
Together with the ballet company, she had guest-performances in Spain, Italy, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Germany, Turkey, Peru and Bolivia,Japan etc.
In 2002 she graduated in ballet directing at the State Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” – Sofia.
Awards:
Crystal Lyre – Prize of the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers for her role of the Black Knight in “Crusaders”.
Silver Rhyton for exceptional merits for promotion of Bulgarian culture by the Minister of Culture Prof. Stefan Danailov.
GOLDEN MUSE AWARD for contribution to the Bulgarian-Russian relations in the field of culture.
Golden Age” by the Minister of Culture Vejdi Rashidov for outstanding merits in popularizing Bulgarian cultureUnder her leadership, the ballet troupe has been awarded with:
“Golden Feather” and “Sofia Prize” for contribution to the Bulgarian culture.
She is a member of jurys at international ballet competitions-Bulgaria,Russia,Italy,Estonia,Serbia,etc. During the thirteen years as head of the troupe of the Sofia Opera and Ballet, he realized 34 premiere titles, some staged for the first time in Bulgaria: “La Bayadere”, “Le Corsaire”, “In the middle elevated” by W. Forsyth, “The Concert” by J. Robbins, “Firebird and Parsley”, “Stepping Stones” productions by Balanchine, as well as “The Lady with the Camellias”, “Carmen”,”1001 Nights”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Scheherazade”, productions set to music by Bulgarian composers and Bulgarian choreographers and many others.
A particularly important role in the history, development and preservation of ballet art in Bulgaria was played by her two-time persistence and success in changing the law on early retirement of ballet artists in the country – from 57yrs. to 45yrs. and returning to the first category of work. Another important law that was changed on her initiative is the permission to appoint foreign artists to the troupes in the country.
Since 2022, he has been a co-organizer of the international ballet association “Sara-Nora Prima”, whose purpose is: through an international ballet competition and academy, to give a chance for career development to talented children and increase their professional qualifications.
EVGENIA VLADIMIROVNA TROFIMCHUK
Nickname: VEDA
Founder and Head of Balkan Alliance – Serbia / Belgrade.
Founder and Chairman of the Bulgarian Dance Organization and National Dance Qualification Committee for Art, Culture and Education / NDQC – Bulgaria / Sofia.
Co-founder and Vice-President of World Arts & Dance Alliance / WADA – Russia / Moscow.
Languages: Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, English.
Author of international cultural projects:
Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece
Education:
1994 – Graduated from Gymnasium with a degree in choreography in the city of Norilsk – Russia / Prof. Lydmila Malinina
1994-1996 – Studied at the State Music College of Arts (Norilsk), Russia – National artistic creativity / Social cultural activity / Pedagogy Educator-organizer of cultural and artistic programs / Choreography arts.
Graduated with honors (Red Diploma). Takes the study program with external, 3.8 years in 2 years. Degree: Secondary – special professional education.
1996 – 1997. Studied at St. Petersburg State Humanities University of Trade Unions – Department of Choreographic Art. With an invitation to be part of the first created course in Russia for pop-jazz dance, in the class of Professor Yuriy Gromov.
1997-2001 – Studied at Moscow State University of Culture and Arts / Management in the social and cultural sphere.
Master’s degree: Manager of social and cultural projects
2000-2003 – Moscow State University of Culture and Arts,
Department of Choreography / Choreographer – director / Contemporary dance.
Master’s Degree: Choreographic Art
2012 – 2014 – Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Art (Bulgaria, Plovdiv) under Prof. P. Lukanov. Department of Choreography / Master’s Degree: Ballet Director
2016 – Niš State University – Serbia / Faculty of Arts
Scientific report – presentation of a Scientific Project for dissertation.
2017 – 2019 – New Bulgarian University / Sofia, Bulgaria
Department: POLITICAL SCIENCES / European Government / International Economic Diplomacy. Master’s Degree: Political Science.
Work in Russia:
1995-2003 – Head, choreographer, director and producer of the Dance Center at the Youth Theater of the House of Culture, Norilsk, Russia.
1992-2003 – Worked as a TV presenter and author of TV projects for the State TV-Radio Campaign NORILSK
2004-2022 Author and Founder of many international projects and associations dedicated to dance art for children and youth in the Balkans.
2004-2022 was an international judge in IDO and WADA, judge of dance events in Russia, the Balkans and Europe.
Work in Bulgaria & Serbia:
2003 – 2004 BTV – Choreographer on Dance Company of TV show
2003 – 2005 Created & Organized First Bulgarian Dance Organization / Sofia and presented it on International Dance Organization (IDO), organized First IDO Championship in Bulgaria. Was First President of BTO.
2003 – 2016 Give Jazz-Modern Seminars & Classes with Creating Choreographies for Dance Schools of Bulgaria & Serbia.
2003 – 2010 Founder of Dance Center & Theater ART ACADEMY / Sofia
2013 – Founder of Academy of Music & Dance Arts / Belgrade
2015 – Founder of BALKAN ALIANCE / Belgrade
Awards in Russia:
2002 – Worthy Laureate of the Youth Award – Award of the Mayor of the City of Norilsk – Krasnoyarsk Territory – Oleg Budargin, for the successful development of the Youth Policy of the Northern Region of Russia.
Professional awards in Russia:
2001 year:
The grand prize of the regional dance competition “Snowball -2001” (Norilsk) Russia
Winner – Regional Festival “Student Spring-2001” (Krasnoyarsk) Russia
Laureate of the All-Russian Festival “Student Spring-2001” (Kazan) Russia
2002 year:
Champion of Russia in the discipline Dance Show 2002 in the nomination Formation (St. Petersburg)
Bronze Champion of the International Open Cup of Russia in Dance Show 2002 (Moscow)
Finalist in the top 6 – Becomes the only Russian representative in a world competition with 73 participants from 27 countries at the First World Jazz Dance Championship IDO 2002 in Canada – Toronto.
Awards in Bulgaria:
2004 April – Honorary award of the Bulgarian Dance Organization, contribution to the development of Bulgarian dance culture and art.
2015 – Certificate of Honor from the Director of the Russian Cultural Information Center, Sofia – Sergey Smetyushenko, for the successfully founded and implemented cultural project of the First International Youth Olympiad for Music and Dance.
2018 and 2019 – Certificate of appreciation from Anatoliy Makarov the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Bulgaria for a successfully implemented cultural project of the International Youth Olympiad for Music and Dance.
Awards in Serbia:
2016 – Worthy laureate of the honorary award of the Ministry of Defense presented by General Ljubisa Dikovic, for fruitful cooperation and successful implementation of the project – the Balkan Arts & Dance Olympiad, within the patriotic programs of the Ministry of Defense in Serbia.
2017 – Letter with thanks from the Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Serbia for a successfully implemented cultural project of the Balkan Olympiad for arts and dance.
RIOLINA TOPALOVA
Riolina Topalova graduated from the State Choreographic School in 1987. in Sofia (today – NSDA). For a short time, she was a ballerina in the State stage of National Army “Silver Stars”. In 1988 joined the ballet troupe at the Sofia Opera and Ballet, where for 20 years she performed solo roles in the performances “Sleeping Beauty”, “Don Quixote”, “The Nutcracker”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “The Lady with the Camellias”, etc. She participated in performances, concerts, seminars, competitions, in television music shows, several film productions, with a leading role in the television novel “Risk”.
Education:
Master’s degree in “Ballet art – ballet pedagogy – 2004 and ballet directing – 2008. according to the program of A. Vaganova at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in the city of Plovdiv under Prof. P. Lukanov, Prof. N. Trofimova, Prof. L. Draguleva, Assoc. N. Tarasova, Assoc. B. Deyanov, M. Abdulaeva.
Creative activity:
Since 2006 is a director, choreographer, tutor, coordinator and ballet master-educator at the Sofia Opera and Ballet. On the stage of the Sofia Opera and Ballet, she performs the ballets “Rhapsody in Blue”, “Cinderella”, “Sleeping Beauty” for children, “The Badly Protected Girl”, the dances in the operas – “Troubadour”, “Don Pasquale”, “La Traviata”, “Eugene Onegin”, “Nabucco”, “Attila”, “Yaina’s Nine Brothers”, “The Woman from the Lake”, “Petya and the Wolf”, “Hansel and Gretel”, “Shegobishko”, “Winnie the Pooh” and others.
With the performance “Rhapsody in Blue”, the national ballet made a successful visit to Qatar. She is the choreographer of the dances in the opera “Orpheus and Eurydice” in the municipal theater of Larnaca /Cyprus/, and the opera “Eugene Onegin” in Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi Trieste – Italy.
Choreographer of the dances in the musicals Mama Mia, Les Miserables, Shrek and Painter Daddy, working with Broadway director West Hyler.
Choreographer of “Night of the Stars” – Encho Keryazov Foundation 2019 and 2021
Choreographer and director of concert programs and dance projects: “Samodiv legends” – part 1, 2 and 3.
Pedagogical work:
Since 2011 teacher and doctoral student at AMTII-Plovdiv.
Head of the Methodical Association “Classical Dance” at the National School of Dance Art and teacher since 2012.
From 2016 to the present, she leads master classes at Art Garage – Center for choreography and modern performing arts in Pozzuoli – Naples /Italy/ – with director Emma Cianchi. Mentor in GC dance events – an international organization that helps to discover and develop young talents all over the world.
Member of the jury at international dance festivals and competitions, where she also leads master classes in classical, modern, characteristic and historical folk dance.
Winner of the “Golden Lira” award of the Union of Music and Dance Actors for high artistic creative and pedagogical achievements – 2017.
Winner of numerous awards as a pedagogue-balletmaster of various dance formats.
