The Fonteyn 2025: The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition to be held in Brazil this October
The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) main annual event, The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition, is coming to São Paulo, Brazil, for the first time (from 11-19 October 2025). Young dancers from around the world will come together for a week of dance to win competition prizes and scholarships.
The competition is named in honour of RAD’s longest-serving president, Dame Margot Fonteyn. The Fonteyn is one of the oldest and most prestigious ballet competitions in the world, representing the pinnacle of achievement for young dancers trained in the RAD syllabus. It began in 1931 and has toured the globe, dedicated to promoting dance, providing educational experiences and recognising excellence in young ballet dancers internationally. It can be a launch pad for a professional career, with past winners becoming professional dancers with companies worldwide.
Brazilian dancers Ana Maria Botafogo and Mayara Magri (Principal of The Royal Ballet and commissioned choreographer for The Fonteyn 2025) will be judging the final, with Paloma Herrera and Julio Bocca judging the semi-finals.
Magri said,
I am so pleased to be part of this year’s competition in Latin America, which has such a rich history with the RAD. I’d like to wish The Fonteyn 2025 candidates the best of luck – I hope you enjoy this wonderful experience and make memories to last a lifetime.
The competition’s coaches include RAD’s Artistic Director and Fonteyn producer Alexander Campbell, Daniela Severian and Lars van Cauwenbergh, and pianists Maria Ines Vasconcellos, Silvina Rouco and Joaquin Panisse.
Campbell said:
The RAD has a long and prosperous history in Brazil. With guidance from Dame Margot Fonteyn, Dalal Achcar (one of the key figures responsible for the expansion of ballet education in the country) was instrumental in bringing the RAD to Brazil. The first official course in the methodology for Brazilian teachers took place in 1963, and since then, Dalal and the RAD have inspired a countless number of dancers and teachers. We can’t wait to celebrate and make history with the first ever Fonteyn in Brazil, and I look forward to seeing you there.
Coaching sessions begin the competition at Estudio de Ballet Cisne Negro. The semi-finals and final will take place at Auditório Ibirapuera.
Candidates will be judged on classwork, a classical repertoire variation and a ‘Dancer’s Own’ piece – a newly choreographed solo created by themselves, their teacher, or a peer, to a piece of music of their choice. Finalists will also be judged on a solo created by Mayara Magri. These solos will have their world premieres at the competition.
At The Fonteyn, candidates compete for a chance to win the coveted Genee Gold medal, supported by Freed of London, Silver and Bronze medals and cash prizes, and for the Dame Margot Fonteyn Audience Choice Award, Choreographic Award and Musicality Award. Alongside the prizes, candidates have the chance to be awarded scholarships to some of the most prestigious ballet schools across the globe including English National Ballet School, Houston Ballet Academy and The Royal Ballet School.
For more information and to book tickets, visit: The Fonteyn | Tickets
NAME: The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition (The Fonteyn)
DATE: 11-19 October 2025. Semi-finals 16-17 October and final on 19 October
TIME: 16 October from 11:00-16:15 BRT, 17 October from 11:00-17:00 BRT, and 19 October from 16:00-18:30 BRT. Times subject to change.
LOCATION: Auditório Ibirapuera, Av. Pedro Alvares Cabral 3, São Paulo, SP, 04094-050
Book here: https://embedstore.ingresse.com/tickets/www.ingresse.com/event/84494
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
It is a pity that no mention is made of certain young British RAD Teachers who Sra. Dalal Achar took to Brazil in the late ’60’s & early ’70’s to develop the RAD curriculum there &, from what I understand and have heard, were instrumental in developing the RAD as a major influence in Classical Dance Training in Brasil. Today,this work together with the work of the Bolshoi Academy in Joinville, helps account for the evolution & great success of Brazilian Dancers on the global stage. Ana Botafogo was one of those dancers who, I understand, trained under these teachers.