NY International Ballet Competition's ABT Award
"Coppelia" Photos: Whitney Browne
You can always tell from the first class. No matter how crowded the room, the eye is immediately drawn to the contestants who are the most concentrated, pay the most attention to the teacher's demonstration at the barre, who spend no time assessing other competitors or fussing with their practice clothes or hair. So it was with Elina Miettinen, registered in the New York International Ballet Competition (NYIBC) representing Finland, where she dances with The Finnish National Ballet. Her quiet concentration and her commitment to the combinations without an effort to impress the judges, were immediately apparent. There was attention to phrasing, clean épaulement and no affectation in the use of the arms or endings.
Russian-born Miettinen attended the Helskinki Dance Institute, then the National Ballet Academie in Amsterdam. She had performed at the finals of the NYIBC in June at the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center. The competition format for all contestants is based on auditioning in an excerpt from the same ballet, and includes performing a contemporary solo as well. Miettinen was invited to dance her solo at the NYIBC gala and won the Igor Youskevitch Award of a year's contract to join American Ballet Theatre beginning in January 2008.