It is considered the Olympics of ballet. The USA International Ballet Competition is one of the world?s most prestigious ballet competitions, where numerous ballerinas from countries around the world participate to represent their home countries. The competition is held every four years and winners get bronze, silver and gold medals ?like in real Olympics. For two intense weeks, dancers and ballet enthusiasts from around the world meet in this place to celebrate, appreciate and highlight this form of performance art.

The event was a brainchild of Thalia Mara, who founded it in 1978. In 1982, the United States Congress passed a resolution designating Jackson, Mississippi to be the official home of the competition in the United States. The event is presently held at the Thalia Mara Hall. The IBC rotation is shared by cities Jackson, Varna, New York, Helsinki and Shanghai.