Prix de Lausanne 2010 : a sensational 38th edition

The famous international competition for young dancers has just closed with a breathtaking finale. The jury was challenged to choose between the 20 finalists, including this year a young Swiss girl, all of an outstanding artistic and technical level.

226 young dancers applied to the selection round last autumn. Of the 81 candidates selected to participate in the competition in Lausanne over half were young male dancers, a first in the 38 year history of the Prix de Lausanne ! The public’s enthusiastic response to the dancers confirmed the jury’s choice, which was based on artistry, quality and technical ability. For the first time ever, more male dancers were selected, as 14 boys and 6 girls reached the Finals.

The prizes consist of scholarships to the great international ballet schools and ballet companies. The jury awarded them to seven of the most promising dancers in this year’s competition :

PRIX DE LAUSANNE "BOURSE" - "SCHOLARSHIP"
(433) Mr Amuchastegui Cristian Emanuel, Argentina, Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy
(402) Mr Mungamba Reina Francisco, Spain, San Francisco Ballet School; Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza "Mariemma"
(101) Ms Sasaki Mariko, JapanYuriko Kawaguchi Ballet School, Toyko
(312) Ms Stawaruk Caitlin, Australia, Tanz Akademie Zürich; Australian Ballet School
(414) Mr Sharratt Aaron, USA Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy	*OAK FONDATION*
(201) Mr Evans Christopher, USA Ballet Met, Colombus	*FONDATION COROMANDEL*
(423) Mr Turner Lewis, Great Britain Elmhurst School For Dance, Birmingham	*FONDATION PRO SCIENTIA ET ARTE*
"PRIX D'INTERPRETATION CONTEMPORAINE" - "CONTEMPORARY DANCE PRIZE"
(423) Mr Turner Lewis, Great Britain Elmhurst School For Dance, Birmingham
"PRIX DU MEILLEUR SUISSE" - "PRIZE FOR THE BEST SWISS CANDIDATE"
(103) Ms Valavanis Alexandra, Switzerland Belletschule des Opernhauses, Zürich
"PRIX DU PUBLIC" - "AUDIENCE'S FAVORITE"
(433) Mr Amuchastegui Cristian Emanuel, Argentina, Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy	FONDATION EN FAVEUR DE L'ART CHOREGRAPHIQUE

To mark the 60th anniversary of the recognition by Switzerland of the People's Republic of China, the Prix de Lausanne invited the Shanghai Dance School to present, during the jury deliberations, a creation with eight of their dancers. This original work was a big success with the public, as was the pas de deux danced by two Principals of The Royal Ballet in London, Leanne Benjamin (1981 Prix de Lausanne prizewinner) and Edward Watson.

The 2010 Prix de Lausanne was the last one under the presidency of Charles Gebhard, who will be handing the reins of the institution over to Beth Krasna, currently a member of the foundation board and president of the finance committee, on March 1, 2010. Charles Gebhard has played a driving role in the internationalization of the Prix de Lausanne, which now counts over fifty schools and companies throughout the world as its partners.

Besides the candidates and their teachers, many important figures of the dance world gather in Lausanne during the week of the competition, turning the city each year into the world capital of young dance.

We wish to thank our sponsors and benefactors, and in particular :

Adveq Management SA
Anonymous donor
Banque Julius Bär
Beaulieu Exploitation S.A.
Beau-Rivage Palace
Bobst SA
Canton de Vaud
Fondation Artephila
Fondation Coromandel
Fondation Fernando et Rose Inverni-Desarzens
Fondation Leenaards
Fondation Nestlé pour l'Art
Fondation Pro Scientia et Arte
Loterie Romande
Oak Foundation
Ville de Lausanne

The complete list of our benefactors can be found here.