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IAD Grand Prix

The jury

Experience, vision and passion for dance

An international jury of dancers, choreographers, teachers and professionals, brought together to evaluate every performance with expertise, artistic sensitivity and respect.

Guests of honour

Special Awards

Two distinguished guests from the world of dance and performing arts will join IAD Grand Prix to present two special awards celebrating talent, artistry and excellence.

Portrait of Oriella Dorella

Oriella Dorella

Étoile of Teatro alla Scala

One of the most distinguished figures of Italian classical dance, Oriella Dorella trained at the Ballet School of Teatro alla Scala in Milan. She joined the company after graduating, becoming Soloist, Principal Dancer and, in 1986, Étoile. Throughout her career she interpreted major works from the classical and contemporary repertoire and performed on important Italian and international stages. Alongside her ballet career, she also became a familiar presence in Italian television and the performing arts.

Special Award

Best Talent in Classical Dance

Presented by Oriella Dorella

Portrait of Michele Olivieri

Michele Olivieri

Dance historian · Critic · Journalist

Michele Olivieri is a dance historian, critic and journalist specialising in ballet and the performing arts. A member of the Italian National Association of Theatre Critics (ANCT) and the International Association of Theatre Critics (AICT), he is Managing Editor of Giornale della Danza and collaborates with specialist publications dedicated to theatre, music and ballet. His work combines historical research, criticism, teaching and a long-standing commitment to promoting dance culture.

Special Award

Critics’ Prize

Presented by Michele Olivieri

International jury

Meet the jury

Discover the artists and professionals who will evaluate the performances at IAD Grand Prix.

Portrait of Miguel Wave

Miguel Wave

Dancer and choreographer

Portrait of Miguel Wave

Miguel Wave

Dancer and choreographer

Miguel Wave, the stage name of Miguel Chavez, was born in Colombia in 1999 and raised in Switzerland. A professional dancer and choreographer, he has built a career across television, music and live entertainment. He became known to Italian audiences through the 2018–2019 season of Amici di Maria De Filippi. His subsequent credits include Il Cantante Mascherato on Rai 1 and choreography for Domenica Live in 2020, followed by a performance at the 2021 Sanremo Music Festival as a dancer for Madame. His work also encompasses music videos, international productions and dance education through classes and workshops.

Portrait of Spedix

Spedix

Dancer, choreographer and teacher

Portrait of Spedix

Spedix

Dancer, choreographer and teacher

Spedix, the stage name of Sergio Spedicato and also known as Amazon Spedix, is an Italian dancer, choreographer and teacher with more than twenty years of experience. His career began in street dance before he specialised in Waacking and Voguing, training within international dance communities in New York, London and Paris and becoming a leading figure in Italy’s urban and club culture. He is the founder and artistic director of the Dip Inside Project and leads the House of Dipstars community. He has presented showcases on national and international stages, worked on music videos and events, and is active as a teacher and judge at festivals, academies and competitions.

Portrait of Chiara Bacci

Chiara Bacci

Professional dancer

Portrait of Chiara Bacci

Chiara Bacci

Professional dancer

Chiara Bacci is an Italian dancer with a strong classical foundation. At fifteen, she entered the Academy of Teatro alla Scala in Milan and broadened her training through international experiences in London, Berlin, Valencia, Stuttgart and Zurich, while also exploring contemporary movement. She reached a wider audience through Amici 24, studying with Alessandra Celentano and progressing to the evening stage of the competition. After the programme, she received several professional opportunities, including a scholarship at Complexions Contemporary Ballet in New York, a contract with DJKT Ballet, an offer to perform as a soloist in The Merry Widow in Beijing and the possibility of continuing at Amici as a professional dancer.

Portrait of Ramon Agnelli

Ramon Agnelli

Professional dancer

Portrait of Ramon Agnelli

Ramon Agnelli

Professional dancer

Ramon Agnelli trained for eight years at the Ukrainian Academy of Ballet, graduating in 2019. During his studies he performed soloist and principal roles and was selected for the Prix de Lausanne. His international distinctions include winning the Youth America Grand Prix in Italy, reaching the Barcelona final and placing in the Top 24 in New York. At eighteen he joined Atlanta Ballet and performed across the United States, including at the Kennedy Center; in Italy, he danced at Teatro degli Arcimboldi. In 2020 he passed the auditions for the Corps de Ballet of Teatro alla Scala, and in 2021 he joined Amici di Maria De Filippi under Alessandra Celentano.

Portrait of Filip Kubalski-Somerfeld

Filip Kubalski-Somerfeld

Athlete · Dancer · Choreographer · Coach · Licensed judge

Portrait of Filip Kubalski-Somerfeld

Filip Kubalski-Somerfeld

Athlete · Dancer · Choreographer · Coach · Licensed judge

Filip Kubalski-Somerfeld is a Polish athlete, dancer, choreographer, certified fitness coach and licensed sports acrobatics judge. His achievements include becoming World Vice Champion in Acro Dance, winning two international Stamina Fitness titles, an International Open Dance title and the Polish Junior Breakdance Championship. He is the founder and head coach of AcroVibe Acrobatics & Fitness, where he works with children and young people across acrobatics, fitness, dance and performance. He also serves as the official representative of ASC Fit Kids in Poland and as an International ASC Fit Kids Judge, supporting the disciplines’ development nationally and at international sporting events.

Portrait of Kayla Lee Dixon

Kayla Lee Dixon

International choreographer · Dancer · Dance teacher

Portrait of Kayla Lee Dixon

Kayla Lee Dixon

International choreographer · Dancer · Dance teacher

Kayla Lee Dixon is an international choreographer, dancer and teacher based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her broad training includes a specialisation in Contemporary, Jazz, Modern, Commercial and Lyrical dance. She has taught and choreographed internationally for soloists, groups and productions, while also performing professionally in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Her competition experience includes recognition at DanceStar, Pulse Dance Competition and Dance International; she also leads workshops and has adjudicated several competitions. As an educator and adjudicator, she values musicality, storytelling, intention and individual identity. Through Lees Projects, she continues to create opportunities for dancers and choreographers to share their work and connect.

Portrait of André De La Roche

André De La Roche

International dancer and choreographer

Portrait of André De La Roche

André De La Roche

International dancer and choreographer

André De La Roche is a celebrated international dancer and choreographer, regarded as one of the leading figures in jazz and modern dance. His career began at a young age in the United States and soon took him to major international stages. In 1978, Bob Fosse selected him as a soloist for the musical Dancin’, with which he joined an extensive world tour. Since the 1980s, he has also worked in television, film and entertainment in Italy, collaborating on major Rai and Mediaset productions. A member of the IAD Grand Prix jury since its first edition, he is admired for his experience, professionalism and artistic sensitivity.

Portrait of Matteo Addino

Matteo Addino

Choreographer · Dancer · Teacher · Artistic director

Portrait of Matteo Addino

Matteo Addino

Choreographer · Dancer · Teacher · Artistic director

Matteo Addino is a choreographer, dancer, teacher and artistic director. As founder and director of the Naima Academy in Genoa, he has helped train numerous talents active in dance, television and theatre, including several dancers from Amici. He has served as a judge on Ballando on the Road, worked as a choreographer for Rai and, since 2025, has been a permanent member of the Ballando con le Stelle cast in the role of “Tribune of the People”. He is also artistic director of Experience Company and an IDA – International Dance Association teacher, devoting his work to the development of new generations of dancers.

Portrait of Kateřina Procházková

Kateřina Procházková

Former sport aerobics champion · Coach · International judge

Portrait of Kateřina Procházková

Kateřina Procházková

Former sport aerobics champion · Coach · International judge

Kateřina Procházková is a former Czech national champion and international competitor in sport aerobics, representing the Czech Republic at major competitions and becoming a two-time national champion and European and World Championship finalist. After her competitive career, she became a Master Class instructor, educator and coach, developing extensive experience in children’s fitness and group training. She later became involved in the development of children’s natural fitness sport and today serves as Head Judge for children’s categories within ICN Czech Republic. Her work combines elite sporting experience, coaching, education and judging, with a strong focus on children’s sport and the development of ICN Fitness Kids in the Czech Republic.

Portrait of Ludmill Cakalli

Ludmill Cakalli

Principal dancer · Maître de Ballet · Teacher · Choreographer

Portrait of Ludmill Cakalli

Ludmill Cakalli

Principal dancer · Maître de Ballet · Teacher · Choreographer

Born in Tirana, Ludmill Cakalli graduated with top marks from the Academy of the Tirana Opera Theatre in 1978. He joined the company as a soloist and teacher, becoming Principal Dancer in 1980, Maître de Ballet in 1985 and Deputy Director in 1990. In 1989, a scholarship brought him to Teatro alla Scala in Milan, where he continued his professional training and graduated as Maître de Ballet with top marks in 1996. Alongside his performing career, he developed extensive experience in teaching and choreography, directing the Professione MAS Academy in Milan and working as a guest teacher and classical ballet specialist at Italian dance institutions.

Portrait of Neli Banishka

Neli Banishka

President · Coach · National and international judge

Portrait of Neli Banishka

Neli Banishka

President · Coach · National and international judge

Neli Banishka is President of BUL GYM Gymnastics Club and a long-standing Fit Kids and Cheerleading coach. She is a national judge in Artistic Gymnastics and Cheerleading, an international Fit Kids judge and the official representative of ASC Fit Kids Bulgaria. Under her guidance, the club’s athletes have won multiple European and World titles in the Fit Kids, Fitness Dance and Stamina categories. Her work is dedicated to children’s sport, the training of competitive athletes and the promotion of Fit Kids in Bulgaria and on the international stage.

Portrait of Sienna Osborne

Sienna Osborne

Dancer and choreographer

Portrait of Sienna Osborne

Sienna Osborne

Dancer and choreographer

Sienna Osborne is an Australian dancer and choreographer trained in jazz, contemporary, lyrical and acrobatics. At a young age, she reached the final of Australia’s Got Talent 2019. After moving to Italy, she continued her training at the Naima Academy in Genoa and, in 2024, joined the Amici school, selected by Emanuel Lo for her energy, versatility and stage presence. She continues her professional journey as a dancer, performer and choreographer with a dynamic style that combines technique, expression and acrobatics.

Portrait of Deniz Uzuntel

Deniz Uzuntel

Head of ASC Fit Kids

Portrait of Deniz Uzuntel

Deniz Uzuntel

Head of ASC Fit Kids

A graduate in Sports Science, Deniz Uzuntel is Head of ASC Fit Kids. Drawing on her education and experience in sport, she contributed to the development of the IAD Grand Prix regulations and to the definition of criteria and guidelines for the Fit Kids disciplines. As a member of the jury, she brings a technical perspective focused on athletic preparation, correct execution and the development of young talent.

Portrait of Valentina Signorello

Valentina Signorello

ASC President for Como, Lecco, Sondrio and Cantù

Portrait of Valentina Signorello

Valentina Signorello

ASC President for Como, Lecco, Sondrio and Cantù

Valentina Signorello is ASC President for the territories of Como, Lecco, Sondrio and Cantù and plays an active role in promoting and developing sport locally. Her experience in sports associations and organisational management brings to the IAD Grand Prix jury a perspective focused on sporting values, organisation and the development of athletes and disciplines.