SCDIBC 2022 Jury

Christopher Moore founded the Ballet Theatre UK Company in 2008 and has since created twelve full-length ballets for the Company including critically acclaimed productions of The Snow Queen, Romeo & Juliet, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, among others. The upcoming seasons also sees the addition of two further original productions to the Ballet Theatre UK repertoire, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Beauty and the Beast.


Christopher trained at Tring Park School of Performing Arts and The Royal Ballet School and has toured the world with many companies and choreographers. He took early retirement from the stage to focus on his choreographic development and the formation of the Ballet Theatre UK Company.


The success of the Company has subsequently lead to the development of The School of Ballet Theatre UK, a training institute that holds the standards and ethos of the company as primary tools for training elite dance students. The School was founded in 2014 and has fast become of the leading classical training institutions in the country. The School offers students the opportunity to study towards a BA (Hons) in Ballet Performance, certified by the University of West London.


Christopher has been awarded a Licentiate of the Cecchetti Ballet Method by the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance and has been an invited lecturer and judge at many international dance competitions around the world and at teacher conventions for ISTD, IDS and IDTA.


In 2018 Christopher visited Japan as guest judge of the International MIE Ballet Competition.
In his dual role as Artistic Director of the Ballet Theatre UK Company and Principal of The School of Ballet Theatre UK, Christopher is proud to lead the organisation forward with a passion for excellence at all levels and a clear focus on the education and development of our upcoming generation of dancers to achieve their full potential and a long and successful career.

Claresta started taking dance lessons at a very young age at Marlupi Dance Academy (MDA), until she was awarded advanced 2 with Distinction and represented Indonesia for the Genee Award in Toronto, Canada in 2008. Her professional debut started when she joined Beijing Dance Academy under the direction of Li Chen Hua in 2008.

 

In the same year, she received scholarship from Joffrey Ballet School in New York, USA with famous professional ballet dancers such as George De La Pena, Daniel Ulbricht, and Eva Jouravlev.

 

A year later, she was accepted in ABT (American Ballet Theatre) Summer Session in New York. In the following year, she joined the Washington Ballet under the direction of Kee Juan Han and Septime Webre. She was chosen to become the leading role in “Garden Pas De Deux” and became corps of the ballet in Septime Webre’s Nutcracker in 2010.

 

In the same year, she attended the full time professional program in Alvin Ailey before she started her professional career with “Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida” in 2011. She became a professional ballet teacher at Vladimir Issaev School of Classical Ballet, Vaganova in Miami, Florida. She was also invited to participate in the International Young Dancer Ballet Festival in Lima, Peru in 2013.

 

Her repertoires are Soloist and Corps, the Issaev’s Harlequinade, Fairy Doll, Le Corsaire, Raymonda, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Little Mermaid in Ballet, Shostakovich (3 movements), Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, and Edgar Anindo’s Fragmentos.

Runqiao Du, Founder and Artistic Director of “Runqiao Du Ballet Coaching”, an online ballet program that provides quality live ballet lessons for worldwide access. Mr. Du was born in Shanghai, China. At the age of 11, he was selected and awarded a scholarship to study at the famed Shanghai School of Dance. Upon graduating with honors, Mr. Du moved to the United States to begin his performing career with The Washington Ballet. During his nearly 20-year tenure with TWB, he performed various leading roles in classical and neoclassical ballets including Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Albrecht in Giselle, Prince Charming in Cinderella, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Prince in Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, and the Cavalier in The Nutcracker.


He also had the opportunity to dance leading roles choreographed by some of the most influential choreographers including works by Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheelden, Nacho Duato, Mark Morris, Edwaard Liang, Septime Webre, Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe, Trey McIntyre, Lila York, and Jiri Kylian.


Mr. Du has been a guest artist, master teacher, repetiteur, and adjudicator nationally and internationally. He has choreographed over 30 classical and neoclassical works for various companies, schools, and universities, including his own version of the full-length ballet, Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker. His choreographic work has also been presented in festivals and competitions, including Youth America Grand Prix, VelocityDC Dance Festival, New Jersey Youth Ballet Competition, and the Millennium Stage at The John F. Kennedy for the Performing Arts Center.

Dancer, Choreographer, founder and the President of The Arts East a Arts and Cultures association in France.


Born in Beijing (China), he began studying ballet at the age of 13 at the Beijing Dance Academy, in August 1993, he obtained his degree and later that year was invited to join Le Jeune Ballet de France by director of the company Mr. Robert Berthier.

 

During his 25-year international career, Miao Zong has danced as a soloist with The National Ballet of Caracas in Venezuela Ballet Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse, and Boston Ballet in the United States, before joining Ballet de l’Opéra National du Rhin in 2004. 

 

He has also been a guest dancer with National Ballet of China and Chemnitz Ballett in Germany. His repertoire includes many leading roles in pieces such as George Balanchine’s Mozartiana (2nd cast following Ethan Stiefel in the principal role),Theme and Variations, Rubies (Jewels), Prodigal Son… In addition, he has danced Franz in Enrique Martinez’s Coppélia, Mercutio in John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet , Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet by Rudi Van Danzig, Espada in Noureev’s Don Quichotte, Madge in La Sylphide by Diana Bjorn, Sir Ashton’s La Fille Mal Gardée (danced alongside Carlos Acosta), Vincente Nebrada’s Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, Our Waltzes, Percussion for Six Men, the title role in Lucinda Child’s Mandarin Merveilleux, he has also danced numerous classical and contemporary ballets by Bournonville, Petipa, Béjart, Kylian, Forsythe, Peter Martins, Mark Morris, Nanette Glushak, Maina Gielgud, David Nixon, Jacopo Godani, Michel Rahn, Richard Tanner, Robert North, Ben Van Cauwenbergh, Val Caniparoli, Johan Inger, Nacho Duato, Bertrand D’at, Ed Wubbe, Aszure Barton…

Kenichi started ballet at the age of three in Yokohama,Japan.


In 1985, he joined Universal Ballet at the age of 16.


In 1990, he moved to the Hong Kong Ballet as a soloist.


Since 1991, he has joined the Austrian Salzburg State Theater Ballet as a soloist and dances in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and Spain all over Europe.


Return to Japan in 1996


In 1997, he joined as a soloist with the National Ballet of Japan and opened Soki Ballet International in the same year.


In 2007, He was in charge of the choreography of Junior/Senior Men at the 18th All-Japan Ballet Competition of the Japan Ballet Association.


He was the judge of the ballet competition in the Kitakyushu branch of the Japan Ballet Association, and also was in charge of the Choreography for Girls/Men’s Variation.


In 2012, he served as a Japanese judge at the 25th Varna International Ballet Competition with the recommendation of Dr.Kenji Usui.


All Japan Ballet Union from 2013 Regular judge.


Japan Ballet Competition from 2014 Regular judge.


He served as a judge for the Korean International Ballet Competition in 2016.


From 2017, the Canaan International Ballet Competition (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia)Regular judge.


Instructed at Dutch National Ballet Academy in 2018.He choreographed “Grand Defile” at Chura Vista Ballet (San Diego, USA) and won the first prize in the contemporary junior category for his choreographed work “Romance”at YAGP 2019 Japan Semi Final.


2019-2020, Kenichi is coordinating and mentoring the scholarship of the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington DC.Since the same year, he has been Head of “art ballet intensive” Japan.
Judges from Miami International Ballet Competition since 2020.

Ivy started her professional ballet training at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) in 1989. In 1993, she graduated as an honorary student with Highest Distinction in her class and was awarded the Overseas Scholarship by Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund.


She began her career as a professional dancer at the Universal Ballet Company of Korea, Ontario Ballet Theatre and the Hong Kong Ballet. She worked with various renowned ballet artists including Galina Kekisheva, Roy Tobias, Stephen Jefferies, Wayne Eagling and Galina Ulanova etc. She was also awarded the Favourite Dancer Award thrice by the Friends of Hong Kong Ballet.


In 2002, she founded her own school, Ivy Chung School of Ballet and Ivy’s Ballet Company in Hong Kong. In 2013, Ivy was appointed Honorary President of Hong Kong Youth Art Appreciation Association and she received Award for Outstanding Dance Artist from Hong Kong Dance Federation in recognition of her work in the development of dance in Hong Kong. In 2021, Ivy was appointed as Associate Executive Director of the Kirov Academy of Ballet Washington DC.

 

She has served on the jury for numerous international ballet competitions, including National Ballet Competition of Taiwan, Malaysia Grand Prix, Miami International Ballet Competition, Youth Arts Festival Singapore etc.

 

Ivy actively participates in charitable events. Her students have taken part in performances for charity shows such as Dancing from our Hearts and Si Chuan Earthquake Donation supported by the World’s Vision, Dance for Light organised by Lifeline Express, Ginger Bread Dance organised by Children’s Heart Foundation and Joyful (Mental Health) Foundation, ballet performance organised by Against Child Abuse Ltd, Dance with me, Wish with me by UNICEF and many more.

Kenny Shim completed his BA in Contemporary Dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and subsequently his Post Grad at London Contemporary Dance School (Masters in Contemporary Dance Performance). He joined the EDge Dance Company (London) 2016. 

 

During his training in the U.K., Kenny has worked with choreographers and company’s members from around Europe such as Wayne McGregor, Tom Roden, Alexander Whitley, Phillipe Blanchard, Gary Lambert, Alison Curtis-Jones, Lea Anderson, Joseph Toonga, Jeanne Yasko and Fred Ghedrig. 

 

With an aptitude in choreography, Kenny has crafted works that have toured Europe namely, ‘Within’ and ‘Rite’. Recently, Kenny produced his debut production: TRIPLE BILL of Contemporary Dance Works, featuring two new choreographies – Winged Wolves and the Bamboo Mew and Pieces of Three Movements. He is also the commissioned choreographer for the 15th & 16th Boh Cameronian Arts Award (arts awards that has been devoted to recognising outstanding Malaysian art practitioners). 

 

Kenny has a strong interest in film and has collaborated with Chicago based NEON 35 MEDIA Company in choreographing the recent H&M advert. He is also the movement director of the acclaimed musical The Edge, 10th Anniversary production written by Nick Choo, directed by Christopher Ling

Lee Yupin
Dip RBS(TTC), ARAD


Founder and Director of Sri Wilayah Ballet Centre. After finishing the RAD Advanced in 1979, she furthered her dance training at the Royal Ballet School, London. Upon graduation, she obtained her Diploma in Dance Teaching and joined the Vienna Festival Ballet, touring and performing as a soloist with the company in Germany and England.


After returning to Malaysia, she founded her ballet school and continued dancing with Sutra Dance Theatre and Kuala Lumpur Dance Theatre, and also choreographed and performed in various musicals with the Selangor Philharmonic Society. She is a founding committee member of The Dance Society of Malaysia, and choreographed works for the society’s festivals and productions, namely ‘The Slave Princess’ staged in 2000, 2007, and 2009.


She has been tutoring and mentoring new teachers under the Royal Academy of Dance for the RAD Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies, and was also engaged by RAD UK to tutor the new Grade 1-5 syllabi in South East Asia.


Ms. Lee has trained many students, some of whom pursued their dance training internationally in the UK, Hong Kong, US, and Australia, and who have moved on to performing, choreographing, or teaching dance professionally in the performing arts sphere.