Prix de Lausanne 2019 – Finalists

21 candidates have been selected for the Finals of the Prix de Lausanne that will take place on Saturday February 9th at the Beaulieu Theatre, after a week of lessons and coaching sessions.

The 74 candidates from all around the world have performed on the stage of the Beaulieu Theatre during the selections that took place today, Friday 8 February. During the week, they rehearsed with prestigious international dance professionals such as Elisabeth Platel, Director of the Paris Opera Ballet School.

The 9 jury members observed the candidates many times during the selections when the young talents performed one classical variation and one contemporary variation in front of a large audience.

The dancers' potential was assessed by considering their technical facility, talent, ability to give an imaginative and sensitive response to the music and to communicating clear movements. They had to master the traditional classical repertoire as well as the contemporary creations of Mauro Bigonzetti, Jean-Christophe Maillot, Wayne McGregor, Heinz Spoerli or Richard Wherlock.

The jury was presided by Carlos Acosta, Gold Medal winner of the Prix de Lausanne 1990.

WARDELL Victoria (Canada)

BROWN Mackenzie (USA)

DAVIDOFF Benjamin (Belgium)

SHUGART Julia (USA)

GARRISON Parker (USA)

FUCHIYAMA Shunhei (Japan)

The 21 Finalists of the Prix de Lausanne 2019 are:

117        SHUGART Julia   United States     16 years old

125        CHOI Jihyun        South Korea       16 years old

126        BROWN Mackenzie          United States     16 years old

202        GARRISON Parker             United States     15 years old

203        DA SILVA João Vitor         Brazil     15 years old

205        FERREIRA António            Portugal               15 years old

206        BENZIE-DRAYTON Noah Australia              16 years old

207        FUCHIYAMA Shunhei       Japan     16 years old

208        BECKER Carl        Germany              16 years old

210        DAVIDOFF Benjamin        Belgium               16 years old

212        LI Hang China     16 years old

303        SEO Yoon Jung   South Korea       17 years old

310        WARDELL Victoria            Canada 17 years old

313        SASAKI Sumina   Japan     18 years old

315        KUPERUS Beatriz              United States     18 years old

316        SUMIYAMA Mio Japan     18 years old

406        DE GROEVE Achille           Belgium               17 years old

408        WAKIZUKA Yu    Japan     17 years old

412        WU Shuailun       China     17 years old

416        FIGUEREDO Gabriel         Brazil     18 years old

418        JOAQUIM Alexandre        Portugal               18 years old

BECKER Carl (Germany)

FERREIRA Antonio (Portugal)

CHOI Jihyun (South Korea)

DA SILVA Joao Vitor (Brazil)

BENZIE DRAYTON Noah (Australia)

The 21 selected candidates are from 10 different countries. The most represented are the United States and Japan, with 4 candidates each.

The Finals will take place on Saturday February 9th at 14.30 and will be live streamed on ARTE Concert, YouTube, Facebook and on the Prix de Lausanne website. The Prize Winners will be announced around 6pm.

8 Finalists will receive a scholarship and have the unique opportunity to choose among the most prominent schools and companies of ballet in the world.

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.