Helsinki Dance Festival Prix Jury 2024

Michal Krcmar

Michal Krcmar drew attention already ten years ago as a significant talent. As a student he won numerous prizes at International Ballet Competitions. After graduating from the Prague Conservatory, he immediately started to dance solo roles at the Prague State Opera Ballet.

He remained in the Prague Company for only two years before joining the Finnish National Ballet as soloist for the in 2011/2012 season. Nowadays, at the peak of his career, he is the Leading Principal dancer of the Finnish National Ballet. 

Thanks to his varied participation in International Gala Events and Festivals (in Japan, Cuba, China, Georgia, Colombia, Cambodia, Mexico, Russia, Korea, Honk Kong, the United Arab Emirates and almost every European country), he was awarded the "Premio Capri Danza Internazionale" in Italy in 2021 for International Dance Merit. 

As a multi award winner and with a vast repertoire of both classic and contemporary works, his journey in the world of dance is nothing short of remarkable. 

When not dancing or rehearsing or flying around the globe, Michal still likes to keep active: he plays soccer, ice-hockey, volleyball, does cross-country skiing, snow-boarding, swimming, cycling and break dancing (but no social dancing!).

Suvi Salmi

Suvi Salmi is a dance school entrepreneur (Suvi Salmi Dance Company), dance teacher, choreographer and dancer from Rovaniemi, nowadays based in Tampere. She holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Theatre and Drama Studies from the University of Tampere. Suvi is an IDO licensed international judge, FDO registry judge and competition supervisor and is the chair of the FDO Performing Arts Section. Suvi started dancing at the age of 8 at the Hot Cakes dance school in Rovaniemi and has competed in FDO and IDO competitions in Performing Arts, Street and Disco since 2000. Suvi has been working as a dance teacher since 2013. She has taught several dance styles from children to adults and coached multiple competition groups in Tampere, Pori, Lappeenranta and Kuopio. Suvi has a strong theatre and singing background and has been involved in various theatre productions and has worked at the Tampere Opera both as a performer and choreographer.

Maria Goltsman

Being a Master of Science in Semiotics and Theory of Culture graduated from Tartu University, Maria Goltsman has worked as a ballet dancer for Vanemuine Ballet Company in Tartu, Estonia; as a lecturer in Dance Analysis and in Dance Art at Tallinn University Choreography Department; as Ballet Teacher DanceAct College and many other dance studios in Tallinn. 

At the moment Maria is a freelance dancer and choreographer and has been leading a freelance dance company Goltsman Ballet since 2012. In 2014 Maria founded her own dance school Goltsman Ballet Studio in Tallinn. During 2010-2012 Maria has was the Head of the Union of Estonian Dance Artists. Maria is also known for writing dance articles, facilitating professional dance classes and workshops in Estonia and abroad. 

In 2007 Maria held a performance-lecture "Body as a Graphic Sign in the Art of Ballet" on the 9th World Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies at Helsinki University. 

Since 2021 Maria is also one of the founders and leaders of Horse Ballet Estonia, in collaboration with Päite Animal Rescue Team, which is making dance shows with ballerinas and rescued dancing horses.

Sanna Leino

Sanna Leino is the assistant principal and head teacher of classical ballet at Espoon Tanssiopisto. She graduated from the Tallinn Choreography School in 1992 as a ballet dancer and immediately afterwards continued her studies at the Dance Institute of the Theatre Academy for five years. During these studies, her professional life as a dance teacher took its course and she never graduated. Sanna later returned to her Master's studies and graduated with a Master's degree in Dance Arts from the University of the Arts Theatre Academy in 2014. She has been on the board of the Balettipedagogit ry for many years and has been the association's president since 2016.

Sanna has been teaching ballet for over thirty years. Over the years, she has taught students from 5 years old to adults and for the last ten years or so she has been a teacher of special training groups in ballet at Espoon Tanssiopisto. Sanna continues to educate herself and develop her teaching by attending annual courses and further training. Her dance classes have led many students to professional studies and a huge number of children and young people who love dance as an art and a hobby have gone out into the world.

In dance, Sanna is interested in strong physical presence and expression, musicality and the joy of dance. Strong dance technique can be achieved through persistent practice. In addition to technical dance skills, dancing allows one to boldly throw oneself into expressing the theme and mood of a piece. Sanna wishes all participants a wonderful and rewarding time on stage, let's celebrate the magic of dance together!