Change for Prix de Lausanne 2021

Video Edition Announced for International Ballet Competition

Jan 31 – Feb 7

Due to rising concerns of the COVID19 virus in Europe and the associated restrictions, the committee of the Prix de Lausanne have made the decision to make the 2021 ballet competition a video event, with selected candidates not required to travel to Switzerland to perform and compete.

While the Fondation en faveur de l’Art Chorégraphiquehas had to reinvent its main event for next year, its priorities remain the same: providing opportunities for young talented dancers and fulfilling its mission as a charitable foundation. The Fondation is therefore pleased to announce that the 49th edition of its Prix de Lausanne, from January 31st to February 7th, 2021, will be a Video Edition.

The event will require that only the Jury’s 9-members be on site in Switzerland. Every selected candidate will be able to demonstrate their talent and compete for a scholarship or apprenticeship via video submission and not in person in Switzerland.

Classical and contemporary variations, as well as a ballet class, will be evaluated and marked separately. As in previous years, 20 finalists will be selected and judged at the end of the week, before the winners’ announcement during the Finals on Saturday, February 6th, 2021.

This year saw the committee members of the Prix de Lausanne select 82 dancers to participate in the world renowned annual ballet scholarship. Out of the 41 Australian applicants, there are three (3) dancers selected for the competition. They are: Charlotte Cohen from Melbourne Conservatoire of Ballet, Morganne Speirs from Tanya Pearson Academy in Sydney, Levi Miller from Tanya Pearson Academy. There was just one New Zealand applicant and she was selected: Keira Hall from New Zealand Mount Eden Ballet Academy.

The Prix de Lausanne’s Partner Schools and Companies will follow the competition week and will be able watch the videos privately through their Networking Forum and, thus, offer their support to all of the 81 candidates. The Prix de Lausanne team is also working on coordinating online classes taught by excellent teachers and coaches for the candidates before the competition begins.

The Young Creation Award, a new competition in search of young choreographic talent and sponsored by the renowned choreographer Heinz Spoerli, will also be held via video. The Prix de Lausanne jury will be able to watch and judge the submitted finalists’ choreographies and award the two best young choreographers after the judging on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021. The choreographies will be performed publicly at the Prix de Lausanne 2022.

This year’s record participation for the Prix de Lausanne (399 applicants from 43 countries around the world) emphasises more than ever a need for keeping the art of dance alive.