Prix de Lausanne 2024
International ballet competition – Beaulieu Theatre (Lausanne)
The Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 will be handed to Alessandra Ferri, Prix de Lausanne Prize Winner in 1980 and future Director of the Wiener Staatsballett. Three new teachers are joining the competition’s artistic team. The 52nd edition complete programme, which will end on a high with an exceptional Rising Stars event, on 4 February, is now confirmed.
Lifetime Achievement Award to Alessandra Ferri
For this 2024 edition, the Prix de Lausanne is honoured to welcome Italian dancer and future director of the Wiener Staatsballett Alessandra Ferri. Prize Winner of the Prix de Lausanne in 1980, her career with the world’s greatest choreographers and companies has earned her the richly deserved title of “prima ballerina assoluta”, highlighting her talent and commitment to the art of dance. The Prix de Lausanne is delighted to present her with the Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 for her entire career.
Three new teachers for the competition
The Prix de Lausanne is delighted to welcome three new teachers to its artistic team this year. The warm-up classes will be taught by Yoel Carreño, former Principal Dancer with the Cuban National Ballet and the Norwegian National Ballet, and Professor at the Oslo National School of the Arts. Two new teachers will be coaching the contemporary variations from the repertoire chosen by the candidates: Jorge García Pérez (variations by Cathy Marston), and Zenaida Yanowsky (variations by Christopher Wheeldon), a member of the jury for the Prix de Lausanne 2020 and a member of the board of the Fondation en faveur de l’Art Chorégraphique, which organises the Prix de Lausanne.
The entire artistic team can be found here.
Special events
Every year, a number of special events are organised in conjunction with the competition. Here is the definitive programme:
- From 22 January to 5 February, Grand-Pont, Lausanne: a large-format exhibition of photographs by Etienne Malapert, the photographer who was given carte blanche to mark the competition’s 50th anniversary. Further information
- From 29 January to 4 February: Throughout the competition week, travel back in time at Beaulieu with the Dancing through time installation, designed by the Laboratoire de Muséologie Expérimentale (eM+) at EPFL. Further information
- Tuesday 30 January, 6.30 pm, Théâtre de Beaulieu: Conversation with the 2024 Jury members, hosted by Jean Pierre Pastori.
- Wednesday 31 January, 6.00 pm, Théâtre de Beaulieu: YCA/PSCP Choreography Evening: finals of the Young Creation Award and public rehearsal of the partner schools’ choreography project with Kinsun Chan. More information
- Saturday 3 February, 1 pm, Théâtre de Beaulieu: press conference with Darcey Bussell (President of the 2024 Jury), Alessandra Ferri (Lifetime Achievement Award 2024), Kathryn Bradney (Artistic and Executive Director of the Prix de Lausanne) and Olivier Glauser (Chairman of the Board of the Fondation en faveur de l’Art Chorégraphique ). To register, please contact the Press Officer
- Sunday 4 February, 11 am, Théâtre de Beaulieu: screening of the documentary film “Le Prix”, directed by Alain Wirth and Nuria Manzur-Wirth to mark the 50th anniversary of the Prix de Lausanne. The film follows four candidates from around the world as they make their way to the competition. The screening will be followed by a discussion and Q&A session with the directors. Further information
- Sunday 4 February, 3.00 pm, Théâtre de Beaulieu: Rising Stars, an exceptional ‘best of’ of the Finals, celebrating the rising stars of dance. Featuring the Finalists and Prize Winners of the 2024 edition, our YCA and PSCP choreographic projects, and two former Prix de Lausanne Prize Winners, Madison Young and Julian MacKay. It’s a opportunity for the public to see these young dancers from all over the world take to the stage at Beaulieu once again. Further information and tickets
