The Prix de Lausanne was founded in 1973 by Swiss Industrialist Philippe Braunschweig and his ballet dancer wife Elvire. The annual Prix is open to student ballet dancers of all nationalities, age 15 to 18 years old. It awards these young dancers a study grant or apprenticeship to give their ballet career a head start. Many of the known dancers, choreographers and artistic directors of prestigious ballet companies in the world, are Prix de Lausanne laureates.
Applicants submit a 15-20 video of their work at the barre and at the centre. This year 429 applied, 87 were invited to come and 82 arrived in Lausanne. Asia or should I say Northern Asia, always has a strong showing. South Korea sent 16, Japan 12 and China 6. China’s 6 is unusual. They usually send more and I think their Covid restrictions might have affected training. Their 6 were also not as strong candidates compared to previous years. None made it to the Finals for example.
I go every year since 2016 as Lausanne is only a 2-hr train ride from Zürich. Except in 2021 when Covid put the Prix online. The Jury met in Montreux but the candidates stayed at home. The Prix is an entire week of classes and coaching but I only come on Friday when each candidate present their 2 solos – 1 classical and 1 contemporary dance at the Beaulieu Theatre. That’s 164 solos to sit through! It’s not for the faint-hearted. I stay overnight for the finals the next day. This year, 22 candidates made it to the finals.
The ones who don’t make the finals do a class on Saturday morning where representatives from various schools and companies talent spot and offer placements and scholarships. I believe this is the only ballet competition that offers this unique networking forum.
So, do I have a favourite candidate? Well, to be included in the shortlist of 82 from 429, they are already the cream of this year’s crop! But yes, I have favourites. Their final ranking was No. 9, No. 5 and joint 1st sharing the gold medal.
First the girls. Placed No. 9 was EMILY SPROUT, age 16 year +2 mos, from Australia dancing The Talisman. She was just stunning – lyrical, musical, delicate with the most beautiful high leg extensions.
Placed No. 3 is SEE HYUN KIM, age 17 years + 7 mos from South Korea dancing La Esmeralda. This is danced with a tambourine where many of the high extensions tap the tambourine. Quite a feat and one of my favourite dances as it is!
As for the boys, it literally came down to a dance off between two 16 year olds! To be precise MILLÁN DE BENITO from Spain is 15 years + 11mos while FABRIZZIO ULLOA CORNEJO from Mexico is 16 years + 1mo. They both danced the same classical solo from Flames of Paris. It seems that the jury chaired by Jean-Christophe Maillot, Choreographer and Director of Ballets de Monte-Carlo couldn’t choose between the two and declared them a tie, a first in Prix de Lausanne’s history that they only had 1 medal between them! They promised to produce a second medal ASAP.
In the 8 years that I’ve been coming to the Prix, only twice was it won by a female dancer – in 2016 by YU HANG from China and in 2019 by MACKENZIE BROWN from the United States. That is quite remarkable considering girls still outnumber boys, although it is slowly reaching parity. I have a theory about that… (See another article BOYS AT THE BARRE.)
The Prix this year was extra special as it was their 50th Anniversary. A plaque of their founder Philippe and Elvire Braunschweig was unveiled at the Beaulieu Théâtre. Exhibits included Prix posters of the past. There was also an archive using a linear navigator. I was able to access previous winners by country, name, year or performance. (video)
The Prix culminated in the Gala of the Stars (photo 7) on Sunday where previous Prix winners performed. It was a veritable Who’s Who of the ballet world - Alina Cojocaru, Matthew Ball, Vadim Muntagirov, Marcelino Sambé, Francesca Hayward, Steven McRae, Precious Adams, Antonio Casalinho, Olga Smirnova, to name a few. Beautiful Maria Kochetkova danced a beautiful contemporary piece called 27 Zero to music by Schubert. She was 7 months pregnant (at least)! I have a feeling the Prix next year will be very boring compared to the spectacle they pulled this year!
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