JURY DU CONCOURS | International dance festival-competition "Golden Bee"

COMPETITION JURY

Kateryna Shalkina

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND

Dance teacher, principal dancer at the Béjart Ballet.

Kateryna Shalkina, born in Kiev, studied at the Kiev State Ballet School (where she obtained her “State Diploma of Classical Dance Specialist”).

In 2002, she graduated from the University of Arts in Kiev, where she obtained the Diploma of Classical Dance Teacher and Choreographer, until she joined the National Opera of Ukraine in 2000 at the age of 15, where she was the youngest dancer and had already danced as a soloist in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty.

Eager to study other techniques, she accepted a scholarship to the Béjart Rudra school in Lausanne, Switzerland, where she perfected her classical dance and learned modern dance (Graham), traditional dances, percussion, singing and Kendo. In 2003, she was invited by legendary master Maurice Bejart to join his company, the Béjart Ballet Lausanne. A year later, she became principal dancer with Béjart Ballet Lausanne for 15 years.

In 2014, she was invited by Kader Belarbie to dance La Belle Esclave in his new creation “Le Corsaire” with the Ballet du Capitole in Toulouse. She has performed all over the world with Béjart, including at the Opéra de Paris and La Scala di Milano, Bunka Kaikan, the Bolshoi and Marinsky Theaters and on many major stages. Kateryna has been a guest artist at numerous Gala des Etoiles all over the world (Mexico, Moscow, Japan World Ballet Festival, Paris). She received the “Etoile” award at the international ballet gala “Les étoiles de Ballet 2000” in Cannes.2006, 2016, she received another “Ballet2000” award for her outstanding contribution to dance with major international companies. In 2017, she created “Kovcheg” for a GogolFest in Ukraine, in Kiev with Oscar Chacon and with the famous Vladislav Troitskiy.

In December 2017, she joined the Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse as a soloist. In 2019 will be released a dvd Queen + Béjart. Ballet for a Life. In 2020, together with her husband Oscar Chacon, they create their first world premiere of “Opus d'Amour” in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

Parallel to her career as a dancer, she began teaching classical dance at the International Ballet School. At Stephane Lambiel's invitation, she teaches ballet to skaters at the Swiss Skating School, and also, at Chantal Patriarca's request, to gymnasts at RG LUCENS.

Since 2020, she has been a regular teacher at L'école BEAU BALLET, where she is in charge of pedagogy and artistic direction. She has created and staged end-of-year shows with over 300 students.

In 2022 she created a High Performance Program for young dancers (PHP BALLET Intensive).

Ornella Capece

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Professional dancer at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.

With over 15 years of experience in the world of dance, Ornella Capece is a professional dancer, dance teacher, and international competition judge. Her remarkable career has taken her to the world’s most prestigious stages, including the Grand Théâtre de Genève, where she performed for nearly ten years in over 400 ballets and contemporary works. Some of her notable performances include The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, Tristan & Isolde, and Carmina Burana, under the direction of renowned choreographers such as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Jiri Kylián, Benjamin Millepied, and Andonis Foniadakis.

Trained at the prestigious Balletschule Hamburg Ballett under the direction of John Neumeier, Ornella refined her technique and artistic sensibility through an intensive summer program at the Canada’s National Ballet School. Her technical precision, combined with a deep understanding of stage interpretation, makes her a highly regarded expert in the dance world.

Her career has led her to perform in over 100 cities worldwide, including New York, Shanghai, Paris, Toronto, Madrid, and Bangkok. Today, she applies her expertise as a competition judge, having served on panels for the Golden Bee International Dance Competition.

In addition to her judging work, Ornella shares her knowledge as a classical dance teacher at the École de Danse de Genève and the École de Danse Vladimir Ippolitov, as well as a coach for strength training at Dauphins Synchro Vernier. She also mentors young dancers in preparing for auditions.

A Demanding and Supportive Eye for Judging Dance
With an in-depth mastery of dance and extensive stage experience, Ornella Capece is a rigorous and passionate competition judge. Her international career, technical knowledge, and sharp artistic eye allow her to assess a dancer's performance in all its facets: movement mastery, musicality, interpretation, and stage presence.

As a teacher, dancer, and judge, Ornella is fully committed to the transmission and promotion of choreographic art, bringing to competitions an expert, balanced, and inspiring judgment for the dancers of tomorrow.