Prix de Lausanne Competition
The prestigious Prix de Lausanne, held in Switzerland, concluded its annual three-day trials on January 26, 2006. The Prix offers male and female teen-aged entrants scholarships to various international schools as well as an "encouragement" cash prize of 1000 Swiss francs for finalists, and an apprentice scholarship to companies of the winner's choice. In addition, through television broadcasts, there is "an audience favorite" prize, won this year by Sergiy Polunin, from the Ukraine, who represented the Royal Ballet School in London, and was also a Lauréat (the recipient of an honor for achievement) winner, along with Chengwu Guo from the Bejing Academy in China.
Finalists included young dancers from Korea, 3 from Japan, Canada (Céline Gittens from Vancouver), Poland, a first-time entrant from Cypress (Ionna Avraam), 2 from China, and Perm (Russia). Total number of finalist girls being adjudicated was 15; boys, 8. One entrant, Joshua Seibel from Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy represented the Yuma Ballet, in Arizona, and there was one Belgian entrant, Stephan Vodenitcharov.
The contestants are required to perform a classical ballet variation accompanied by a tempo-given disc, as well as a contemporary work of their own choosing. In addition to the prizes, all the contestants gain from exposure to directors and choreographers, who recruit from the Prix. The contestants are also exposed to young dancers from different countries, languages and cultures. There is coaching and classes from eminent teachers.
The questions begs: Why, at such a rewarding and distinguished competition have there been so few American entrants over the years?" One of the obvious reasons given has been that contestants sometimes have to cross the American continent as well as the Atlantic to get to Switzerland and that there is less emphasis on performing classical variations in American schools. Asian teachers see it differently: the distance from the Pan-Pacific countries and across Europe to Switzerland is also a considerable distance. But the main factor, they say, is the Asian ethos of following a system (and the teaching is excellent and some government assistance is available) and in doing everything perfectly from a young age, whether it is a perfect Fifth Position or the painting of a daisy.
The next Prix in Switzerland will be held from January 29 - February 4, 2007.Contact: www.prixdelausanne.org for details.
Mr Sergiy Polunin, Ukraine, Prix de Lausanne 2006, Lauréat--Prize-winner.