The wonders of modern technology means that even though we are sitting 16,km away on the Gold Coast the organisations live streaming of classes, rehearsals and competition mean we feel like we are sitting in that amazing theatre watching the action unfold. So what is the Prix De Lausanne, why is it so prestigious and what does the scholarship program really mean for the up and coming ballerinas of today?
It is an annual international competition for young ballet dancers. Opens to all nationalities aged who are not yet professionals. But this year, they lowered the minimum age requirement.
Talented dancers aged to 14 years and 6 months now have the chance to enter the elite competition. This is to give the slightly younger student the proper entry age for most professional schools during the same competition year. The ballet competition advocates the principle that a good dancer should be of a healthy mind and healthy body.
Winners receive prestigious scholarships, and sometimes internships to leading companies. This year it ran from January 28 to February 4, To take part, candidates submitted a video of themselves, the committee then selected up to 78 candidates to participate in the competition.
Many famous dancers who have now gone on to become principals in major ballet companies once started their career at the Prix de Lausanne, these include:. They discussed with the great American ballerina Rosella Hightower their desire to launch a competition in Lausanne the following year. Together with Maurice Bejart, she agreed to offer prize winners a grant for training in their respective schools namely Mudra Brussels and Centre International de Danse in Cannes.
