Zeynep Sunal Öngün, a Turkish ballerina in Ankara State Opera and Ballet (ADOB) has been invited to take part in the jury of the 14th International Ballet Competition that will take place in Moscow's Bolshoi Theater.

According to the statement made by the ADOB, the competition is to be held between June 3-11 and is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the federal state-financed cultural institution ROSCONCERT.

Upon invitation, Zeynep Sunal Öngün, the prima ballerina of ADOB, ballet teacher and art director of the International Bodrum Ballet Festival will take part in the competition as a member of the jury.

Öngün, whose views were included in the statement, stated that she was proud to be a part of the selection committee and to represent Turkey in this important competition.

The 14th International Ballet Competition is dedicated to Yuri Grigorovich to celebrate the 95th anniversary of his birth. Grigorovich, who was the chief choreographer of the Bolshoi Ballet, played a major role in shaping Russian ballet in the second half of the 20th century, by winning major awards in the country and around the world with his praised ballet productions.

Some 343 applications were received from 33 countries, including Turkey, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Ireland, New Zealand, China, Russia, Sweden, Japan and Austria.

The competition jury consists of prominent Russian and foreign names in the field of choreographic art, Russian and world ballet soloists, heads of the world's largest theater companies, authorized choreographers, teachers, theater critics, prominent names in choreography and producers.

The International Ballet Competition has been held at the Bolshoi Theater every four years since 1969 by the Russian Ministry of Culture.