Eurovision Young Dancers 2003

Ten finalists selected for Eurovision Young Dancers 2003

Dancers from ten countries have made it through to the Final of the Eurovision Young Dancers 2003 that will be held in Amsterdam on 4 July.

The dancers, two couples and eight solo artists, competing for the title of Eurovision Young Dancers in contemporary and classical dance will perform live for European television.

The finalists were selected by a top-class jury, comprised of renowned dance teacher Derrick Brown, US pop video choreographer, director and dancer Liz Imperio, contemporary dance expert Susanne Linke, Italian ballerina Paola Cantalupo and the Russian ballet dancer, Vladimir Vasiliev, once named the “World’s best dancer” by the Paris Dance Academy.

The jury chose dancers from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, the Netherlands, the Ukraine, Sweden, Romania, and Switzerland.

The following dancers have got through to the final.

Czech Republic: Monika Hejduková & Viktor Konvalinka
Estonia : Maria Seletskaja
Finland: Tiina Myllymäki
Greece: Elenina Nicolaou
Latvia: Linda Silinja
Netherlands: Joeri Dubbe
Romania: Ovidiu Matei Iancu
Sweden: Kristina Oom & Sebastian Michanek
Switzerland: Sarah-Jane Brodbeck
Ukraine: Jerlin Ndudi

A total of 17 countries were represented in the semi-final, which took place in the Stadsschouwburg Theatre in central Amsterdam before a live audience.

Armenia, Belgium, Cyprus, Norway, Poland, Slovenia and the UK were eliminated in the semi-final, but they will stay in Amsterdam and join the other dancers on stage at the end of the Final to receive their competitors' medals.

A variety of dance styles were represented in this year’s competition, including jazz, hip hop, ballet and modern choreography.

The Eurovision Young Dancers competition is a star maker. Agnès Letestu won the Eurovision Young Dancers in 1985. She is now a principal for the Paris Opera. Zenaida Yanowski, who won in 1993, also became a principal at the Royal Ballet in London.

The competition is organized by the European Broadcasting Union in association with public service broadcasters across Europe.

This year’s competition is hosted by NPS (Netherlands). Each national broadcaster has the right to enter either an individual or couple to compete for the title.

The Geneva-based EBU unites and serves 71 national broadcasters from 52 countries in and around Europe. Working on behalf of its Members in the European area, the EBU negotiates broadcasting rights for major sports events, operates the Eurovision and Euroradio networks, organizes programme exchanges, stimulates and coordinates coproductions, and provides a full range of other operational, commercial, technical, legal and strategic services.