Competitions

1st Prize, Youth, 2000 The idea of a ballet competition bearing the name of Mia Arbatova was conceived by Nira Paaz, one of Mia's prominent students, Yair Vardi, General Manager of the Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance and Theatre, the late Hezy Leskly, poet, journalist, choreographer and ballet critic and Zohara Simkins-Manor, Mia Arbatova's niece and one of her first and most senior students.

The Mia Arbatova Ballet Competition was founded as a means to encourage, support and fortify ballet dancers, and to commemorate her unrelenting work and eminent contribution to classical ballet in Israel.

The Association's Trust Fund grants scholarships and awards to outstanding students and strengthens the awareness and importance of traditional classical ballet.

The adjudicators are top professionals from Israel and abroad.
The Mia Arbatova Ballet Competition is today one of the most important dance establishments in the cultural life of Israel.

2008 Prize Donors


  • First Prize - Female Dancer
  • Donated by Mrs. Lili Artenstein, In memory of her late Mother Rozi De Pichoto
  • First Prize - Male Dancer
  • Presented in the memory of the late Jeannette Ordman.
  • Second Prize
  • Donated by Adv. Leon Eli in appreciation of his parents Ester and Dr. R. Eli
  • Third Prize
  • In memory of the dancer Moshe Lazara , Mia Arbatova's most outstanding pupil, donated by Moshe's family.
  • Fourth Prize
  • Donated by the Toronto Branch, Canada-Israel Cultural Fund
1st prize, Moriel Deby, 2004 3rd Prize, Ella Nagli, 1997

2008

The Thirteenth Competition - April 24th - May 10th


  • This year's competition is dedicated to the memory of Moshe Lazra, Mia Arbatova's most prominent dancer (1932-2008).

  • First Prize-Male: Erez Ilan

  • April 24th Semi-Final Marathon
  • "Pas de Deux" Master Class demonstration on stage
  • performing excerpts from "Four Temperamants"
  • Choreography: George Balanchine
  • Music: Paul Hindemith
  • Staged: Mr. Reuven Voremberg
  • "Pas de Deux"
  • Choreography: Mr. francis Cinceritti from Holland
  • Music: Franz Schubert

  • May 10th- Competition Final

  • Prize Winners:
  • First Prize-Female: Liron Kichler
  • First Prize-Female: Liron Kichler
  • First Prize-Male: Erez Ilan
  • Second Prize: Gal Mahzari
  • Third Prize: Chen Drory
  • Fourth Prize: Amit Kanfer

  • Judges:
  • Attorney Zvi Pomrock (Chairman),
  • Reuven Voremberg, Nathali Erlbaum Borensztejn,
  • Karin Schnabel, Sally-Anne Friedland,
  • Ildar Paritzki

  • Guest Performance:
  • "The Dying Swan" - Nadia Timofeeva
  • "Interpretation" - Sahar Azimi
  • "Jugo de Limon" - Lazaro Godov
  • The Israeli Ballet Artistic Director Berta Yampolsky
  • "Too Tired" - Nina Gershman and Alexander Utkin
Left Picture - This year's competition is dedicated to the memory of Moshe Lazra. Right Picture - Mia Arbatova (1911-1990)



2006

The Twelfth Competition-April 21st and 22nd

    Fourth prize- Zoar Ben Israel
  • April 21stSemi final-Marathon and "Pas de Deux" Master class demonstration on stage
  • April 22ndCompetition Final

  • Prize Winners:
  • First Prize- Dana Zcharia
  • Second Prize- Idan Yoav
  • Third Prize- Itai Perry
  • Fourth prize- Hagar Enosh and Zohar Ben Israel
  • Fourth prize- Zoar Ben Israel

  • Judges:
  • Attorney Zvi Pomrock (Chairman),
  • Ido Tadmor, Gabi El Dor , Ester Nadler,
  • Viacheslav Sarkisov, Walter Cinquinella

  • Guest Performance:
  • Hillel Kogan

2004

The Eleventh Competition -
April 30th Semi Final - Marathon
May 1st Finals

    Third Prize - Or Kachlon
  • For the first time in addition to Classical Ballet Competition, the Association added a Contemporary Dance Competition, in the present of audience and a panel of judges.

  • Prize Winners:
  • Classical ballet
  • First Prize- Moriel Deby
  • Second Prize- Aviad Herman
  • Third Prize- Guy Fletcher
  • Contemporary Dance
  • First Prize- Shai Haramaty
  • Second Prize- Harel Kay
  • Third Prize- Or Kachlon

  • Judges:
  • Attorney Zvi Pomrock ( Chairman),
  • Sally-Anne Friedland,
  • Ora Brafman, Ed Wubbe,
  • Valery Panov, Nurit Stern

  • Guest Performance:
  • Dancers from the "Dutch National Ballet Company",
  • Dancers from the "Dutch National Ballet Company", Egone De Yong and Ga-el Lambiot
  • Egone De Yong and Ga-el Lambiot

2002

The Tenth Competition - May 25th

    First Prize - Arman Grigoryan




  • Prize Winners:
  • First Prize - Orian Yochanan and Arman Grigoryan
  • Second Prize - Yorai Feinberg and Guy Fletcher
  • Third Prize - Iliia Sarkisov and Ilan Kav

  • Judges:
  • Attorney Zvi Pomrock (chairman),
  • Sally- Anne Friedland, Nathalie Bornsztejn,
  • Aharon Watkin, Lior Lev, Shelly Sheer
  • First Prize - Orian Yochanan

  • Guest Performance:
  • Shirley Pasternak and Vlacheslav Sarkisov
  • Bat Dor Dance Company
  • Dancers from the Thelma Yelin High School

  • The Association's Statue:
  • The Association's Statue was presented to Yair Vardi, General Manager of the Suzanne Dellal Center for Dance and Theatre, in honor of his contribution to the advancement of dance in Israel and the Mia Arbatova Association.

2000

The Ninth Competition - May 31st

    Seniors, Second Prize - Lidia Rotterdamskaya,Israel




  • First Mediterranean ballet competition to mark ten years of activities by the Association

  • Participants:
  • Dancers from Turkey, Greece, Macedonia and Israel

  • Prize Winners:

  • Juniors-ages15-19:
  • First Prize- Nadia Tarasov, Israel
  • Maria Mapoubouli, Greece
  • Second Prize- Olga Tzimourta, Greece

  • Seniors- ages 19-23:
  • First Prize-Serht Gudul, Turkey
  • Second Prize- Lidia Rotterdamskaya, Israel
  • Juniors, 1st Prize - Maria Mapoubouli,Greece and 2nd Prize - Olga Tzimourta, Greece

  • Judges:
  • Attorney Zvi Pomrock (Chairman),
  • Martin Viscount, USA,
  • Moshe Lazra - Israel / Portugal,
  • Nadia Nikoliados - Cyprus,
  • Reuven Formberg, Israel / Holland,
  • Shelly Sheer, Israel

  • Guest Performance:
  • The Bat Dor Dance Company
  • The Bat Sheva Dance Company
  • The Ido Tadmor-the Company.

  • The Association's statue:
  • The Association's statue was presented to Mia Pick-Ajolo in honor of her life's work to advance classical ballet in Israel and for her contribution to the work of the Mia Arbatova Classical Ballet Association.