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.