The Milwaukee Ballet has come upon its Second Genesis with the revival of an international dance competition, which had last been held in 2002 by former artistic director Simon Dow.

Michael Pink, current Milwaukee Ballet artistic director, decided it was time to hold another competition to see what the next generation of choreographers can come up with. He believes letting new choreographers show off their talents is crucial to keeping the art form alive.

"The major institutions around the world can attract fairly established choreographers to work with them, but there's always a need for the next generation and no one knows about them, waiting in the wings, to do their stuff," Pink says. "This is the perfect opportunity to work with them and let them work with professionals dancers in front of a paying public."

He says by having prizes gives the competition a little more spice.

The Second Genesis International Choreographic Competition features three choreographers -- Viktor Plotnikov, Nelly Van Brommel and Jozsef Csaba Hajzer -- all given 90 hours of rehearsal time, eight dancers and a 20- to 30-minute ballet to choreograph.

Through all modern forms of media, the Milwaukee Ballet put out the call to choreographers around the globe: Compete for the chance to win $2,500 and the chance to create an original ballet for Milwaukee. The e-mails and tapes came pouring in, Pink and his team whittled the group down to four, three set choreographers and one alternate.

"The winner will be chosen by panel of judges, coming in on Saturday. They will see the performances on Saturday evening and ask them to nominated contestant in what place -- first, second and third -- each should be," Pink says.

He will tally up their votes and the winner will be announced that night. There are two other performances on Sunday, but Pink says that gives everyone a chance to let their hair down.

But there's also audience interaction involved with the competition.

"Audiences make their selection (for the winner) by using their cell phones. U.S. Cellular has made it possible for people to text their choice for the winner," Pink says. "Or there's the old way through writing a name down on a slip of paper and dropping it into a box in the foyer."

The winner of the audience vote gets $500.

Pink says that he's also made it so that every choreographer has a fair chance at winning the audience vote.

"Running order to which piece goes first second or third designed sharing opportunity to be last on the bill. Audiences are far more familiar with the final work than the first," he says. "That bit was fair. We drew numbers and names from a hat, there's no mystique about it. It was democratic. No recount needed."

Second Genesis gives people the chance to support the arts, Pink says, and as all Milwaukee Ballet shows, it's a high quality performance and a physically demanding ballet for the dancers.

"You never know when find next great choreographic voice. Wouldn't it be lovely if they were discovered first here in Milwaukee?" Pink says. "(This weekend audiences) May be looking at great next choreographer and be able to say 'My gosh I was there.'"