Prix de Lausanne
Encyclopedia
The Prix de Lausanne is an International dance competition held annually in Lausanne
, Switzerland
. The competition is for young dancers seeking to pursue a professional career in classical ballet
, and many former prize winners of the competition are now leading stars with major ballet companies around the world. The competition is managed by a non-profit foundation organised by the Fondation en faveur de l'Art chorégraphique and is maintained by various sponsors, patrons and donors.
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The Prix de Lausanne was founded in 1973 by the Swiss industrialist Philippe Braunschweig and his wife Elvire. Philippe, although not a dancer, became interested in dance as a young man. His Russian dancer wife developed his interest further.
The Braunschweigs created the competition after noticing the lack of financial support to young dance students, particularly those from small regional schools, wishing to attend professional level programs.
He started by approaching Rosella Hightower
and Maurice Béjart
who drew up the rules for the competition.
What started as small event has grown into an internationally acclaimed institution that draws candidates from all over the world. Over the past few years the competition has seen a big boom in Asian candidates. Because of the great demand by Japanese students to study abroad, an office was also set up in Japan.
The Braunschweigs announced their resignation at the end of the Prix in 1996. In March 1997, as the competition came to its 25th anniversary, the philantropists handed over the Prixs direction to an executive committee composed of the Swiss Secretary of State, Franz Blankart and an artistic committee headed by Jan Nuyts, who worked with the Prix for many years. Mr Charles Gebhard is in charge of finances and Ms Patricia Leroy heads the actual organization. The Braunschweigs remain available as consultants and have managed to maintain the original mission of the competition.
Currently, participants are required to submit a 15–20 min DVD recording showing them performing a combination of barre
and centre-work exercises in a studio environment and pay a non-refundable registration fee of CHF
120. Those candidates selected to participate in the competition pay a second fee of CHF
120.
Around 120 candidates from 30 or so countries compete each year, in the hope of being selected for the final, reserved for the best 15 among them. The final of the competition is broadcast live on television.
As from 2007 the Prix de Lausanne is part of an exchange program] with the prestigious Youth America Grand Prix, which allows dancers from each competition to benefit from the scholarship
opportunities available at both. Thanks to a mutual agreement, finalists who have not received a scholarship at one of the competitions will be eligible to participate in the other without having to pass the selective rounds.
By combining their scholarship-giving capacities, these two of the most important dance competitions in the world help create a wider network of opportunity for young dancers worldwide.
. The dimensions of the stage of the Théâtre de Beaulieu are: 12m
wide x 14m
deep with a 3.6% slope.
Occasionally the organization has arranged for the finals to be held in other locations: New York City in 1985, Tokyo in 1989, and Moscow in 1995, in order to accommodate the participants.
During the competition, the theater has its foyers and conference halls converted into dance studios and observation areas. The backstage area houses offices, an infirmary, and a shop that sells dance clothes, books, and videos and a cafeteria on the balcony.
Only one scholarship is available from each partner organization so decisions as to which winner is offered a place are based on their ranking. Although on occasion, they agree to accept more than one laureate.
The panel is chosen as to fulfill a wide geographical representation and mix of youth and experience.
The members of the Jury for the 2009 competition were:
The members of the Jury for the 2007 competition were:
After each round, the dancers which are not selected for the finals have a one-on-one meeting with a designated juror to discuss their performance problems and level of training. Suggestions range from pointers on petit allegro to weight and hair styling. All participants can keep taking daily classes and participate in the final class, called "The Job Exchange", in which attending directors can see them in ballet class and which result in many entrants usually receiving offers to study at various companies around the world.
For the finals, dancers must prepare a classical and contemporary variation
as well as a "variation libre" or free variation of their own choice. The Prix has lately been producing a very helpful DVD in which the dances required to be performed are demonstrated by former winners, like Darcey Bussell
from The Royal Ballet and Marcelo Gomes from ABT
. In the past, participants learned the variations
from any available source, coming up with a multitude of interpretations, varying in musicality
and style. The DVD has been a helpful tool in improving the uniformity of the performances.
Only the most successful dancers actually perform these pieces in front of an audience
. Tickets are sold for the public semi-final and final which are attended by some of the big names in dance.
The semi-final takes place on the final Saturday of the contest and lasts most of the afternoon. Clapping is strictly forbidden so as not to disturb the candidates. In reality, the audience
's murmurs can be heard in the auditorium after each variation with a fair gauge of success.
The Sunday final culminates in the award of generous bursaries, where up to six Prix de Lausanne winners are selected.
The next Prix de Lausanne will take place from to
All finalists are offered free summer courses (travel and accommodation costs not covered) and receive a diploma and a medal. Finalists not winning a prize receive a consolation cash
prize of CHF
1,000.
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The competition is for young dancers seeking to pursue a professional career in classical ballet
Classical ballet
Classical Ballet is the most formal of the ballet styles, it adheres to traditional ballet technique. There are variations relating to area of origin, such as Russian ballet, French ballet, British ballet and Italian ballet...
, and many former prize winners of the competition are now leading stars with major ballet companies around the world. The competition is managed by a non-profit foundation organised by the Fondation en faveur de l'Art chorégraphique and is maintained by various sponsors, patrons and donors.
History
The Braunschweigs created the competition after noticing the lack of financial support to young dance students, particularly those from small regional schools, wishing to attend professional level programs.
He started by approaching Rosella Hightower
Rosella Hightower
Rosella Hightower was an American ballerina who achieved fame in both the United States and Europe.-Biography:...
and Maurice Béjart
Maurice Béjart
Maurice Béjart was a French born, Swiss choreographer who ran the Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland. He was the son of the French philosopher Gaston Berger.- Biography :...
who drew up the rules for the competition.
What started as small event has grown into an internationally acclaimed institution that draws candidates from all over the world. Over the past few years the competition has seen a big boom in Asian candidates. Because of the great demand by Japanese students to study abroad, an office was also set up in Japan.
The Braunschweigs announced their resignation at the end of the Prix in 1996. In March 1997, as the competition came to its 25th anniversary, the philantropists handed over the Prixs direction to an executive committee composed of the Swiss Secretary of State, Franz Blankart and an artistic committee headed by Jan Nuyts, who worked with the Prix for many years. Mr Charles Gebhard is in charge of finances and Ms Patricia Leroy heads the actual organization. The Braunschweigs remain available as consultants and have managed to maintain the original mission of the competition.
Entry
Entry is reserved for young student-dancers, aged 15 through 18, who have not yet been in professional employment and open to candidates of all nationalities.Currently, participants are required to submit a 15–20 min DVD recording showing them performing a combination of barre
Barre (ballet)
A barre is a stationary handrail that is used during ballet warm up exercises. The term also refers to the exercises that are performed at the barre, as well as that part of a ballet class that incorporates barre exercises.-Construction:...
and centre-work exercises in a studio environment and pay a non-refundable registration fee of CHF
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
120. Those candidates selected to participate in the competition pay a second fee of CHF
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
120.
Around 120 candidates from 30 or so countries compete each year, in the hope of being selected for the final, reserved for the best 15 among them. The final of the competition is broadcast live on television.
As from 2007 the Prix de Lausanne is part of an exchange program] with the prestigious Youth America Grand Prix, which allows dancers from each competition to benefit from the scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
opportunities available at both. Thanks to a mutual agreement, finalists who have not received a scholarship at one of the competitions will be eligible to participate in the other without having to pass the selective rounds.
By combining their scholarship-giving capacities, these two of the most important dance competitions in the world help create a wider network of opportunity for young dancers worldwide.
Location
The Prix is held annually over a one-week period in January (when it tends to snow), usually at the Théâtre de Beaulieu in LausanneLausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
. The dimensions of the stage of the Théâtre de Beaulieu are: 12m
M
M is the thirteenth letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet.-History:The letter M is derived from the Phoenician Mem, via the Greek Mu . Semitic Mem probably originally pictured water...
wide x 14m
M
M is the thirteenth letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet.-History:The letter M is derived from the Phoenician Mem, via the Greek Mu . Semitic Mem probably originally pictured water...
deep with a 3.6% slope.
Occasionally the organization has arranged for the finals to be held in other locations: New York City in 1985, Tokyo in 1989, and Moscow in 1995, in order to accommodate the participants.
During the competition, the theater has its foyers and conference halls converted into dance studios and observation areas. The backstage area houses offices, an infirmary, and a shop that sells dance clothes, books, and videos and a cafeteria on the balcony.
The Competition
The aim of the Prix de Lausanne is to facilitate the young competition prize-winners to embark upon a professional career by providing them with an opportunity to spend a year improving their skills at one of the Prixs partnering schools or to benefit from a year's apprentice scholarship with one of the international professional dance companies partnering the Prix.Only one scholarship is available from each partner organization so decisions as to which winner is offered a place are based on their ranking. Although on occasion, they agree to accept more than one laureate.
The Jury
The jury is composed of nine people. Each member of the jury must either have a link with one of the Prixs partner ballet schools or companies or be an ex-winner.The panel is chosen as to fulfill a wide geographical representation and mix of youth and experience.
The members of the Jury for the 2009 competition were:
- President of the jury:
- Karen KainKaren KainKaren Alexandria Kain, CC is a retired Canadian ballet dancer, and currently the Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada.-Early Training:...
- Artistic Director, National Ballet of CanadaNational Ballet of CanadaThe National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
, TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
- Members of the jury:
- Amanda Bennett - Director, Ballettschule Theater, BaselBaselBasel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland - Marianne Krusse - Educational Director and teacher, the School of The Hamburg BalletHamburg BalletHamburg Ballet, also known as the Hamburg State Opera Ballet, is an internationally acclaimed ballet company located in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1973 it is directed by the American dancer and choreographer John Neumeier....
, Germany - Francia Russell - Founding Artistic Director, Pacific Northwest BalletPacific Northwest BalletPacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per...
, USA, Freelance Balanchine teacher and stager - Miyako Yoshida - Guest Principal, Royal Ballet, London and K-Ballet CompanyK-balletK-ballet is a Japanese ballet company. The company started in 1999 and has since held approximately 50 annual performances. K-Ballet's activity was first recognised internationally in July 2004, when the ballet group was invited to New York's Metropolitan Opera House with The Royal Ballet, one of...
, Japan, Prix de Lausanne prizewinner in 1983 - David McAllister - Artistic Director, The Australian Ballet, Australia
- Patrick Armand - Ballet Master, Teatro alla Scala, MilanMilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy, Prix de Lausanne prizewinner in 1980 - Ted Brandsen - Artistic Director and resident choreographer, Dutch National BalletDutch National BalletDutch National Ballet was formed in 1961 when the Amsterdams Ballet and the Nederlands Ballet merged. The company has been directed by Sonia Gaskell , Rudi van Dantzig , Wayne Eagling and is currently directed by Ted Brandsen. It is the largest dance company in the Netherlands and attracts many...
, AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... - Bruce Sansom - Director, Central School of Ballet, London, England
The members of the Jury for the 2007 competition were:
- President of the jury:
- Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux - Artistic Director, North Carolina Dance Theatre, USA
- Members of the jury:
- Ms Ramona de Saa, Director, National Ballet School, La Habana, CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
- Ms Aki Saito, Principal, Royal Ballet of Flanders and Prix de Lausanne prizewinner(1991)
- Ms Cathy Sharp Director, Cathy Sharp Dance Ensemble, BaselBaselBasel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland - Ms Irina Sitnikova, Professor, Vaganova Academy, Saint PetersburgSaint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia - Ms Monica Zamora, Former Principal, Birmingham Royal BalletBirmingham Royal BalletBirmingham Royal Ballet is one of the three major ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside the Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet....
, England and Prix de Lausanne prizewinner (1989) - Mr Wim Broeckx, Director, Royal Conservatory, The Hague, Netherlands and Prix de Lausanne finalist (1980)
Evaluation
The jury evaluates candidates' potential throughout the competition considering their level of:- Artistry
- Physical suitability
- Courage and individuality
- An imaginative and sensitive response to the music
- A clear grasp in communicating differing movement dynamics
- Technical facility, control, and coordination.
Stages
After the DVD selection, participants go through the second phase of selection rounds, which consists of ballet and modern classes on stage and is the hardest and the most unforgiving.After each round, the dancers which are not selected for the finals have a one-on-one meeting with a designated juror to discuss their performance problems and level of training. Suggestions range from pointers on petit allegro to weight and hair styling. All participants can keep taking daily classes and participate in the final class, called "The Job Exchange", in which attending directors can see them in ballet class and which result in many entrants usually receiving offers to study at various companies around the world.
For the finals, dancers must prepare a classical and contemporary variation
Variation (ballet)
Variation or Classical Variation in ballet is a solo dance. As with an Aria in opera, which allows the singer to demonstrate his or her interpretive skills, the variation in ballet has the same function...
as well as a "variation libre" or free variation of their own choice. The Prix has lately been producing a very helpful DVD in which the dances required to be performed are demonstrated by former winners, like Darcey Bussell
Darcey Bussell
Darcey Andrea Bussell CBE is a retired English ballerina. Trained at the Arts Educational School and the Royal Ballet School, she was later employed by the Royal Ballet, where she was promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer and would become recognised as one of the greatest English ballerinas of...
from The Royal Ballet and Marcelo Gomes from ABT
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
. In the past, participants learned the variations
Variation (ballet)
Variation or Classical Variation in ballet is a solo dance. As with an Aria in opera, which allows the singer to demonstrate his or her interpretive skills, the variation in ballet has the same function...
from any available source, coming up with a multitude of interpretations, varying in musicality
Musicality (dance)
Musicality is a noun that means sensitivity to, knowledge of, or talent for music. The word also refers to the quality or state of being musical A musical person has the ability to perceive differences in pitch, rhythm and harmonies...
and style. The DVD has been a helpful tool in improving the uniformity of the performances.
Only the most successful dancers actually perform these pieces in front of an audience
Audience
An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature , theatre, music or academics in any medium...
. Tickets are sold for the public semi-final and final which are attended by some of the big names in dance.
The semi-final takes place on the final Saturday of the contest and lasts most of the afternoon. Clapping is strictly forbidden so as not to disturb the candidates. In reality, the audience
Audience
An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature , theatre, music or academics in any medium...
's murmurs can be heard in the auditorium after each variation with a fair gauge of success.
The Sunday final culminates in the award of generous bursaries, where up to six Prix de Lausanne winners are selected.
The next Prix de Lausanne will take place from to
Prizes
- Prix de Lausanne Scholarship - a scholarship of one year's free tuition and the sum of CHFSwiss francThe franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
16,000 in ten monthly installments for living expenses during the prize winner's year of studies.
- Prix de Lausanne Apprentice Scholarship - consist of a one-year apprentice scholarship for awardees over 17 and the sum of CHFSwiss francThe franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
16,000 in ten monthly installments for living expenses.
- Contemporary Dance Prize - consists of contemporary dance course at one of the partnering institutions and covers both travel and living expenses.
- Best Swiss Candidate Prize - consists of a cash price of CHFSwiss francThe franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
2,500 awarded to the best finalist residing in Switzerland and having trained in Switzerland for at least 3 years before the competition.
All finalists are offered free summer courses (travel and accommodation costs not covered) and receive a diploma and a medal. Finalists not winning a prize receive a consolation cash
prize of CHF
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
1,000.
Winners
Scholarships
- Hannah O'Neill (Australia) from New Zealand
- Peng Zhaoqian (China)
- Miki Mizutani (Japan)
- Edo Wijnen (Belgium)
- Telmo Moreira (Portugal)
- Rina Nemoto (Japan)
- Sebastian Concha (Chile)
Since 1973
- 1973 : Michel Gascard, former Soloist with Béjart BalletBéjart BalletThe Béjart Ballet Lausanne is a Swiss ballet company. It is based in the city of Lausanne, but tours other countries.The Béjart Ballet Lausanne was founded in 1987. It was established by Maurice Béjart, a well-known choreographer who had previously founded and managed the "Ballet du XXe Siècle" in...
, currently co-director of Rudra Béjart Studio-School. - 1975 : Philippe Talard, French dancer and choreographer.
- 1976 : Jana Kurova, Czech ballerinaBallerinaA ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
and choreographer. - 1977 : Jean-Christophe Maillot, choreographer and company director of Les Ballets de Monte CarloLes Ballets de Monte CarloLes Ballets de Monte Carlo is a classical ballet company established in 1985 by Her Royal Highness the Princess of Hanover in accordance with the wishes of her mother, Princess Grace of Monaco...
, Paola Cantalupo, Étoile with Les Ballets de Monte CarloLes Ballets de Monte CarloLes Ballets de Monte Carlo is a classical ballet company established in 1985 by Her Royal Highness the Princess of Hanover in accordance with the wishes of her mother, Princess Grace of Monaco...
and former principal dancer with National Ballet of Portugal - 1980 : Alessandra FerriAlessandra FerriAlessandra Ferri is a retired Italian prima ballerina assoluta. She received her training at the La Scala Theatre Ballet School and the Royal Ballet School...
, retired Principal with American Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
and Teatro alla ScalaLa ScalaLa Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
in MilanMilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,... - 1983 : Miyako YoshidaMiyako YoshidaMiyako Yoshida is a Japanese ballet dancer. She was a Principal Guest Artist of The Royal Ballet as well as a Principal dancer in K-ballet, Japan.-Biography:...
, Principal Guest Artist with The Royal Ballet - 1984 : Viviana DuranteViviana DuranteViviana Durante is an Italian-born English prima ballerina who is widely acknowledged to be one of the finest and most dramatic ballerinas of her time. She was formerly a Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet. She has performed internationally as a Guest Principal, since 2003 predominantly in Japan...
, former Principal with The Royal Ballet - 1985 : Sue-Jin KangSue Jin KangKang Sue-jin is a South Korean ballerina. She is a principal dancer at Stuttgart Ballet.- Early life :Kang Soo-jin was born in Seoul, South Korea. After initial ballet lessons in Korea, she went to Marika Besobrazova at the Académie de Danse Classique in Monte Carlo. In 1985, she won the Prix de...
, principal with the Stuttgart BalletStuttgart BalletStuttgart Ballet was the first major German ballet company. It rose to fame in the 1960s under Artistic Director John Cranko. The company, which is renowned for presentations of full-length narrative ballets including Romeo and Juliet, Eugene Onegin, The Taming of the Shrew, John Neumeier's Die...
, Philip NealPhilip NealPhilip Neal was a principal dancer with New York City Ballet. He studied from age 11 at the Richmond Ballet School. After six years of study there, Edward Villella arranged a summer scholarship for him at NCYB's School of American Ballet...
, principal dancer with New York City BalletNew York City BalletNew York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company... - 1986 : Darcey BussellDarcey BussellDarcey Andrea Bussell CBE is a retired English ballerina. Trained at the Arts Educational School and the Royal Ballet School, she was later employed by the Royal Ballet, where she was promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer and would become recognised as one of the greatest English ballerinas of...
, retired Prima Ballerina of The Royal Ballet, Julie Kent, principal dancer with American Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
, Kaori Nakamura, principal dancer with Pacific Northwest BalletPacific Northwest BalletPacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per...
and former principal dancer with Royal Winnipeg BalletRoyal Winnipeg BalletThe Royal Winnipeg Ballet, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is Canada's oldest ballet company and the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America.... - 1987 : José Carlos MartinezJosé Carlos MartínezJosé Carlos Martínez was an Argentine politician, formerly of ARI. He sat in the Argentine Senate representing Tierra del Fuego Province....
, principal with the Ballet de l'Opéra de ParisParis Opera BalletThe Paris Opera Ballet is the oldest national ballet company in the world, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it...
. - 1988 : Megumi Nakamura, ex-dancer of the Nederlands Dans Theater, and Bernice Coppetiers, leading dancer with Les Ballets de Monte CarloLes Ballets de Monte CarloLes Ballets de Monte Carlo is a classical ballet company established in 1985 by Her Royal Highness the Princess of Hanover in accordance with the wishes of her mother, Princess Grace of Monaco...
- 1989 : Tetsuya Kumakawa, ex-principal with The Royal Ballet and artistic director of K-BalletK-balletK-ballet is a Japanese ballet company. The company started in 1999 and has since held approximately 50 annual performances. K-Ballet's activity was first recognised internationally in July 2004, when the ballet group was invited to New York's Metropolitan Opera House with The Royal Ballet, one of...
in Tokyo, Japan, and Monica Zamora, retired principal of the Birmingham Royal BalletBirmingham Royal BalletBirmingham Royal Ballet is one of the three major ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside the Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet.... - 1990 : Carlos AcostaCarlos AcostaCarlos Acosta is a Cuban ballet dancer. He has danced with many companies including the English National Ballet, National Ballet of Cuba, Houston Ballet and American Ballet Theatre...
, Principal Guest Artist with The Royal Ballet - 1991 : Aki Saito, principal with the Royal Ballet of Flanders, David DawsonDavid Dawson (choreographer)British choreographer and dancer, David Dawson is one of the most respected names amongst the younger generation of choreographers working in the classical ballet idiom today.-Biography:...
, choreographer, and Christopher WheeldonChristopher WheeldonChristopher Wheeldon is an international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Born in Somerset, England, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at the age of 8. He attended the Royal Ballet School between the ages of 11 and 18...
, choreographer and artistic director of Morphoses/The Wheeldon CompanyChristopher WheeldonChristopher Wheeldon is an international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Born in Somerset, England, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at the age of 8. He attended the Royal Ballet School between the ages of 11 and 18... - 1992 : Laetitia Pujol, principal with the Ballet de l'Opéra de ParisParis Opera BalletThe Paris Opera Ballet is the oldest national ballet company in the world, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it...
, Jiří Bubeníček, choreographer, principal dancer with Dresden SemperOper Ballett and former principal dancer with Hamburg BalletHamburg BalletHamburg Ballet, also known as the Hamburg State Opera Ballet, is an internationally acclaimed ballet company located in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1973 it is directed by the American dancer and choreographer John Neumeier.... - 1994 : Diana VishnevaDiana VishnevaDiana Vishneva is a prima ballerina with both the Mariinsky Ballet in Russia, and American Ballet Theatre in the United States. She was born in St. Petersburg and was trained at the Vaganova Choreographic Institute and upon her graduation in 1995, joined the company of the Mariinsky Theatre...
, principal with Kirov Ballet and Guest Principal Artist with American Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
, Benjamin MillepiedBenjamin MillepiedBenjamin Millepied is a French danseur, best known for his work as choreographer in the movie Black Swan .-Early life:...
, choreographer and principal dancer with New York City BalletNew York City BalletNew York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company... - 1995 : Gonzalo Garcia (dancer), principal with New York City Ballet: youngest-ever recipient of Gold Medal, Gillian MurphyGillian MurphyGillian Murphy is a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre.Murphy was born in Wimbledon, England and took her first ballet class at the age of three in Belgium while her father was working overseas...
, principal with American Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
, Le Yin, former principal dancer with Pacific Northwest BalletPacific Northwest BalletPacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per...
, Natalia Sologub, principal with Dresden SemperOper Ballett - 1996 : Marcelo GomesMarcelo Gomes (dancer)Marcelo Gomes is a Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. He first joined the company in 1997 as a member of the Corps de Ballet, and was promoted to Soloist in 2000 and Principal in 2002....
, principal with American Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
, Ivan PutrovIvan PutrovIvan Putrov is a Ukrainian-born ballet dancer, an independent dance artist, he was a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet from 2002 until July 2010.- Biography :...
, former principal with The Royal Ballet, Shoko Nakamura, principal with Berlin Staatsoper - 1997 : Alina CojocaruAlina CojocaruAlina Cojocaru is a female principal dancer with The Royal Ballet of London.-Early years:Alina Cojocaru was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania. She has one sister. From a young age she studied gymnastics...
, principal with The Royal Ballet - 1998 : Ekaterina Menchikh, ballerina with the Zurich OperaZurich OperaOper Zürich is an opera company based in Zurich, Switzerland. The company gives performances in the Opernhaus Zürich which has been the company’s home for fifty years.-History:...
(Ballet Company of Heinz Spoerli) - 2000 : Yao Wei, principal with the Royal Danish BalletRoyal Danish BalletThe Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
, Yuriko KajiyaYuriko KajiyaYuriko Kajiya is a Japanese ballerina with American Ballet Theatre . She was promoted to soloist on 5 July 2007 after 5 years with the company....
, soloist with American Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet TheatreAmerican Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today... - 2001 : Misa KuranagaMisa KuranagaMisa Kuranaga is a Japanese ballerina at the Boston Ballet.-Career:Misa Kuranaga initially trained at the Hinushi Kaoru Ballet School in her native Japan and then received additional training at the School of American Ballet in New York City. Before joining Boston Ballet in 2003 she was a member...
, principal with Boston BalletBoston BalletBoston Ballet, founded in 1963 by E. Virginia Williams, was the first professional repertory ballet company in New England. Boston Ballet’s national and international reputation developed under the leadership of Artistic Directors Violette Verdy , Bruce Marks , and Anna-Marie Holmes...
, Jaime Garcia Castilla, principal with San Francisco BalletSan Francisco BalletThe San Francisco Ballet is a ballet company, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, under the direction of Helgi Tomasson. SFB is the first professional ballet company in the United States...
, and Ludovic Ondiviela, first artist with The Royal Ballet - 2002 : Maria KochetkovaMaria KochetkovaMaria Kochetkova , is a principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet. She is a bronze medal Laureate of the 9th International Competition of ballet artists and choreographers in Moscow , Winner of the Young Artists Competition "Prix de Lausanne" , silver medal in Varna, golden medals holder for...
, principal with the San Francisco BalletSan Francisco BalletThe San Francisco Ballet is a ballet company, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, under the direction of Helgi Tomasson. SFB is the first professional ballet company in the United States...
and Yuhui Choe, first soloist with The Royal Ballet