Dancer Carmel Al-Suleiman wins the gold medal in the international “Ballet Beyond the Borders” competition in Los Angeles

Damascus(ST): Triumphing over 70 participants from different countries, the 20-year-old dancer Carmel Al-Suleiman won the gold medal in the international “Ballet Beyond the Borders” competition that was held in Los Angeles last month. 

About the competition and how he participated in it, Carmel explained that it was held virtually due to the Coronavirus  pandemic, through video clips sent by the participants, pointing out that he heard about it from a friend who is a graduate of the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts residing outside Syria.

Carmel explained that he was fond of  the art of ballet from a young age, as he used to  accompany his mother, a teacher interested in folk dancing, to attend and participate in concerts, and he was attracting everyone’s attention, indicating that he got the opportunity to join the Inana group when he was nine years old and became the youngest dancer in it. The band has offered support and training to him to be able to show his creativity and talent.

Carmel, who is preparing to participate in the ballet competition scheduled to be held in China next March, indicated that he fulfilled one of his dreams when he joined the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in the dance department, but this stage was difficult because it coincided with the departure of a number of specialists and trainers in dance outside Syria as a result of the war and he had to maintain  his fitness and abilities by continuing to train at home and watching videos on this art and studying it in a scientific and academic way. 

Carmel’s father, Ahmed Al-Suleiman,  said: “When I used to accompany  Carmel, I found in him distinguished talents, so I started to encourage and follow him despite the great difficulties that we faced during the years of the war, but the dream was greater than that, so I used to take him daily for a year and a half to a private center to follow his lessons and help him achieve his dream.

It is noteworthy that Carmel participated in many Syrian dance groups, in addition to various concerts at the Damascus International Fair and Culture Day.

K.Q.