AGP IBC Finals 2025
JURY MEMBERS
Garry TRINDER, MNZM
Director of New Zealand School of Dance
President of Jury for the
Aisan Grand Prix
Born in England, Garry Trinder trained at The Royal Ballet School, Rambert School of Ballet and Maurice Béjart's MUDRA. As a dancer, he worked with Scottish Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and London City Ballet. Garry's extensive career includes six years as Artistic Director of Hong Kong Ballet and two years as Director of Dance at South Africa's NAPAC Dance Company. He was appointed Director of the New Zealand School of Dance in 1998 and celebrates his 20th anniversary in 2018.
Garry holds a master's degree from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and an advanced diploma in Education from Newcastle University. In addition to his role at NZSD, he is associated with many international ballet competitions including the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland, the Japan Grand Prix in Tokyo, and the Youth America Grand Prix in New York. Since 2011 Garry has assumed the role of President of the Jury for the Asian Grand Prix ballet competition in Hong Kong. Garry was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2013, for his services to dance.
Finals Jury Members
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Melanie PERSON
CO-DIRECTOR, The Ailey
SchoolDIRECTOR, Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance Program
Melanie Person started dance at six in Jackson, Mississippi, continuing at Calvert-Brodie School of Dance in Columbia, South Carolina, and performing with Columbia City Ballet. In 1976, she received a full scholarship to Dance Theatre of Harlem's (DTH) Summer Intensive, becoming an apprentice then a full company member in 1979 at 16, after graduating Professional Children's School. For 12 years, she toured globally with DTH, performing diverse works by choreographers like George Balanchine and Arthur Mitchell. Her TV credits include NBC's Creole Giselle, CBS's 60 Minutes, the 1984 Olympics closing ceremonies, and PBS's Live at the Kennedy Center: The Making of Firebird. She earned a BA from SUNY Empire State College. In 1999, she joined The Ailey School ballet faculty, becoming Co-Director of the Junior Division in 2000, Chair of the ballet department, and President of the Emergency Fund for Student Dancers.
Person has also taught at Dance Theatre of Harlem School, Ballet Hispánico School, Marymount Manhattan College, and Purchase College, and as a teaching artist in NYC Public Schools. She is on the Council of Dance Administrators and the Board of Directors for the National Association of Schools of Dance. Guest teaching includes The Flint Institute of Music, Dance Institute of Washington, Boston Ballet School, and The Adaclam School.
She has adjudicated the Youth American Grand Prix, Japan Grand Prix, and Prix de Lausanne’s 50th anniversary. In 2009, she became Associate Director of The Ailey School, and Co-Director with Tracy Inman in 2010 after Ms. Jefferson's passing. For over a decade, she has supervised the New Directions Choreography Lab. Person also holds a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies.
Jason BEECHEY
HEAD OF DANCE
Tanz Akademie Zürich
– Zurich Dance Academy
Jason Beechey is the newly appointed Head of Dance at the ZHdK. This follows 18 years as Rector of the Palucca University of Dance Dresden and having created the D.A.N.C.E. Programme under the artistic direction of Frédéric Flamand, Wayne McGregor, Angelin Preljocaj and William Forsythe. He trained at Canada’s National Ballet School, the Vaganova Academy and the School of American Ballet and danced as a Soloist with London City Ballet, prior to 15 years with Charleroi/Danses in Belgium. There, he began his teaching career and became the Pedagogical Director. Involved with the Prix de Lausanne since 2009, he was the 2021 recipient of the Ken McArthur award for his exceptional contribution to the dance world from Canada’s National Ballet School and is a Board Member for the Dancer Transition Foundation of Germany.
Lin ZHOU
BALLET STAFF
Canada's National Ballet School
Ms. Zhou is a highly respected ballet educator and adjudicator. Since 2017, she has been a full-time faculty member at Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS), specializing in vocational training. She works closely with aspiring professional dancers, focusing on technique, artistry, and performance development. In addition to teaching, she plays a key role in rehearsing, choreographing, restaging works, and assessing students. She also conducts masterclasses, summer intensives, and serves as a jury panelist for international ballet competitions.
Originally from China, Ms. Zhou trained at the Beijing Dance Academy before joining Singapore Ballet (formerly Singapore Dance Theatre) as a principal and soloist. She toured internationally, performing lead roles in classical and contemporary works such as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Raymonda in Raymonda, and Swanhilde in Coppélia. She was also featured in Jirí Kylián’s Forgotten Land and Stamping Ground.
After retiring from the stage, Ms. Zhou transitioned into dance education, earning a Distinction from NBS’s Teacher Training Program and receiving the prestigious Betty Oliphant Award. Since then, she has been committed to shaping the next generation of dancers through her teaching and mentorship.
Miwako KUBOTA
Former Senior Artist
The Australian Ballet
Miwako Kubota is a distinguished ballet artist with a two-decade career, culminating in a senior artist position with The Australian Ballet. She received the Idemitsu Scholarship (1997) and the Khitercs Hirai Foundation Scholarship (2011), training with The Royal Ballet and San Francisco Ballet. A two-time Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominee and Marigold Southey Scholarship recipient, she refined her craft with Paris Opera Ballet and Dutch National Ballet.
Her captivating stage presence has graced numerous principal roles, including those in Paquita, Swan Lake Act 3, The Sleeping Beauty Act 3, and Les Sylphides. Her extensive repertoire showcases lead roles in works by choreographers like David McAllister, Frederic Ashton, George Balanchine, Graeme Murphy, Peter Wright, Stanton Welch, Erik Bruhn, Stephen Baynes, John Cranko, Ronald Hynd, and Peggy van Praagh. She has also performed works by Twyla Tharp, Christopher Wheeldon, and Kenneth MacMillan, among others.
Miwako has toured internationally to Japan, New Zealand, China, London, Paris, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. Since 2017, she has taught at City Dance Centre, Academy Ballet, Sydney City Ballet School, Noosa Professional Dance Academy, and her alma mater, The Australian Ballet and The Australian Ballet School. Her profound understanding and unwavering commitment to excellence make her an invaluable addition to our jury.