Lausanne hosts a week of young ballet talent
The 54th edition of the Prix de Lausanne runs this week until February 8. Eighty-one young dancers – 43 girls and 38 boys – from 18 countries will be competing at Beaulieu Lausanne in the hope of qualifying for Saturday's final.
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For this international dance competition created in 1973, these young people aged between 15 and 18 were selected by a jury of nine professionals who viewed the videos of 444 dancers (339 girls and 105 boys) of 43 different nationalities, according to the organisers. A total of 73 candidates were selected following this video test, while eight others had already been shortlisted.
From Monday to Thursday, the young talents will be coached by renowned dance teachers and choreographers. They will benefit from group classes and individual coaching for their classical and contemporary variations, which they will perform on Friday during the selection rounds for the final.
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The final will take place on Saturday and will feature a maximum of 20 candidates. Up to nine of them will win a scholarship to study at one of the partner schools or companies. Other prizes will also be awarded, including the Contemporary Performance Prize and the Best Young Talent Prize.
The nine-member jury is drawn from the international dance elite. This year it is chaired by Kevin O’Hare, Director of London’s Royal Ballet. He previously headed the jury for the Lausanne prize in 2017. This year, his vice-president will be Gigi Hyatt, director of the Hamburg Ballet School John Neumeier and a finalist in the Prix de Lausanne in 1980.
On the sidelines of Saturday’s final, prima ballerina Sylvie Guillem, 60, will receive a lifetime achievement award. Regarded as one of the greatest ballerinas and a key figure in the development of modern dance, she is étoile (star) of the Paris Opéra Ballet and London’s Royal Ballet. Rudolf Nureyev named her étoile in 1984 at the age of 19. She ended her career in 2015.
The Prix de Lausanne 2026 will come to a close on Sunday afternoon, with the “Rising Stars” show featuring this year’s finalists.
Adapted from French by AI/ts
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