On 25 January the ballet community notes seven years since the decease of Prof. Emil Dimitrov.
Thanks to his dedicated work International Ballet Competition – Varna rightfully holds the place of a first and most prestigious ballet forum. The Ballet Olympiad would have hardly survived during the years of transition in Bulgaria but for the persistency, decisiveness, ability for combination and organisational talent of Prof. Dimitrov.
The world famous Russian choreographer Yuri Grigorovich states, “The Competition is alive thanks to the astonishing enthusiasm of its Director – Emil Dimitrov, who dedicated his whole life to it.” He was never satisfied with the achieved, he always found ways to innovate the Competition, to expand its activity. The most notorious concomitant event undoubtedly is the International Summer Ballet Academy, but along with it seminars, conferences, video shows and of course – the memorable Gala Concerts “Meeting of the Generations”.
Prof. Dimitrov continuously generated new ideas, but he had also the will to realise them. The first and only holder of the Varna Grand Prix, the ballet legend Vladimir Vassiliev says about him, “Emil Dimitrov will always remain in my heart. Despite the fact that he was manager of the first in the world ballet competition, he was amazingly modest. Like a director he managed always to remain in the backstage and without appearing on the stage he controlled everything to the smallest detail. His ability to be everywhere was astonishing. It is impossible to appreciate enough his merits. Now, when he is not with us, we can see even better the importance of his work.”