Contents Press release • pages 1, 2 Prix de Lausanne celebrates its 40th anniversary • pages 3, 4, 5 Prix de Lausanne Gala • pages 6, 7, 8 Amanda Bennett, new Artistic Director of the Prix de Lausanne • page 9 Selected candidates • pages 10, 11, 12, 13 Nationalities represented • page 14 Schedule of the competition week • page 15 Classical variations • pages 16, 17 Contemporary variations and choreographers • pages 18, 19 Jury • page 20 Evaluation of career potential • page 21 Prizes, networking forum • pages 22, 23 Partner schools and companies • pages 24, 25, 26 Coaches, teachers, musicians • page 27 Interlude performance • page 28 Master classes 2012 • page 29 Prix de Lausanne in its home region, "Tremplin Danse", Class & Lecture • page 30 Other Events • pages 31, 32 Budget • page 33 Prix de Lausanne organisation • pages 34, 35 Sponsors, patrons and partners • pages 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 TV and internet broadcasts, videoblogs and micro-blogs • page 44 Press contact: Catherine Kopitopoulos Jean-Paul Dinh Tél. +41 (0)21 643 24 08 Fax +41 (0)21 643 24 09 [email protected] PRIX DE LAUSANNE 2012 – 40th COMPETITION Press release Prix de Lausanne 2012 40th international competition for young dancers from January 29 to February 4, 2012, at the Beaulieu Theater in Lausanne Lausanne, January 24, 2012: The Prix de Lausanne is celebrating its 40th anniversary. 40 years of excellence and passion in fostering the stars of tomorrow. Since 1973, the challenge launched by Philippe and Elvire Braunschweig, founders of the Prix de Lausanne, is met each winter with the same creative energy and artistic rigor. 79 candidates of 19 different nationalities were selected on the basis of the videos submitted by the 226 entrants and will be competing in Lausanne for a week. At the end of the selection round, on Friday, February 3rd, 20 candidates will have been chosen to perform in the finals on Saturday, February 4th. 8 of them will be leaving with a year-long scholarship to one of the 65 prestigious Prix de Lausanne partner schools and companies. The jury, composed of 9 personalities of the dance world, all prize winners of the Prix de Lausanne, will be presided by the Director and Choreographer of the Ballets of Monte- Carlo, Mr Jean-Christophe Maillot (prize winner 1977). In the finals, during the jury deliberations, the public will be able to admire three short performances danced by the students of the Royal Ballet School of London and the Royal Danish Ballet School of Copenhagen, both partner schools of the Prix de Lausanne. An exceptional Gala will take place on Sunday, February 5th, 2012, at 5 pm at the Beaulieu Theater with 25 artists, most of them prize winners of the Prix de Lausanne. The pas de deux will be danced by Principals of the Ballet of the National Opera of Paris, the Royal Ballet, and the Ballets of Monte-Carlo among others. The Prix de Lausanne wishes to celebrate this anniversary with the citizens of Lausanne and invites them to share key moments in the life of the competition. Some events are not to be missed: until March 1, an exhibition at the CHUV “The Prix de Lausanne through 40 years of posters”; a photo exhibit on the Grand-Pont “from shadow to light”; and a programme of dance films at the Swiss Cinematheque starting on February 13. And for the first time, the finals will be commented live on the web in 4 languages by four prize winners – on www.prixdelausanne-live.com . Tickets for the finals and the gala are on sale at the Opéra de Lausanne: +41 (0)21 310 16 00 or on www.prixdelausanne.org - 1 - PRIX DE LAUSANNE 2012 – 40th COMPETITION Press release In addition to the finals, some of the competition activities are open to the public from Tuesday, January 31st to Thursday, February 2nd and all day Friday 3rd. Tickets are on sale at the entrance: 10 Swiss francs from Tuesday to Thursday, 20 Swiss francs on Friday. Children aged 7 to 15: free of charge (children under 7 not admitted). Information: Prix de Lausanne press department Catherine Kopitopoulos, Jean-Paul Dinh +41 (0) 21 643 24 08 - Fax +41 (0)21 643 24 09 – E-mail : [email protected] Created in 1973, the Prix de Lausanne is an annual international competition for young dancers aged 15 to 18. Its goal is to discover, promote and support the world’s finest young talents. 65 of the world’s most prestigious dance schools and companies, such as the Royal Ballet School of London, the School of American Ballet in New York, and the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, are associated with the Prix de Lausanne and support its activities. One of a kind, the Prix de Lausanne represents an exceptional platform for discovering youthful talents and is open to dance professionals who can observe and establish contacts with the candidates, thereby transforming Lausanne into the world’s capital for young dancers during the week of the competition. - 2 - PRIX DE LAUSANNE 2012 – 40th COMPETITION Prix de Lausanne celebrates its 40th anniversary 40 years of excellence and passion serving the stars of tomorrow. Since 1973, the challenge launched by Philippe and Elvire Braunschweig, founders of the Prix de Lausanne, has been taken up each winter with the same creative energy and unfailing artistic rigour. The vocation of the international competition for young dancers aged 15 to 18 remains unchanged: discover the best young talents in the world and open the doors of the most prestigious dance schools and companies for them to realize their potential and become high level professional dancers. Over the years, by making Lausanne the annual meeting point of artists from all over the world who wish to see dance progress on an international level, the Prix de Lausanne has created a professional network that truly makes it a privileged platform. The desire to encourage the versatility of young dancers increases each year, as they must master classical as well as contemporary dance languages in order to rise to the challenges of their profession. The candidates also have the possibility to develop the expressive part of their performance during the various classes and coaching sessions over the week in Lausanne – truly a unique experience. The follow-up of these young artists also means promoting the completion of their academic degree – a career in dance is very short - and ensuring that strict health principles are in place. Both of these essential points guarantee the ethical reputation and holistic approach of the competition. The engagement of a permanent artistic director from March 1st, 2012 will enable the Prix de Lausanne to consolidate the development of its network and perpetuate its role as a key international platform. Prix de Lausanne: key dates 1973 First Prix de Lausanne competition 1974 First broadcast of the finals on Suisse Romande Television 1975 A prize for the best Swiss candidate is added to the scholarship prizes 1984 Introduction of contemporary dance in the selection trials 1985 Prix de Lausanne in New York 1989 Prix de Lausanne in Tokyo 1995 Prix de Lausanne in Moscow - 3 - PRIX DE LAUSANNE 2012 – 40th COMPETITION Prix de Lausanne celebrates its 40th anniversary 1997 o 25th anniversary: workshop on the theme « What future for classical dance? » o Philippe Braunschweig steps down and hands over the presidency of the foundation to Franz Blankart, the vice-presidency to Charles Gebhard and the artistic direction to Jan Nuyts. 1998 A mandate is given to young choreographers to create the compulsory contemporary variations. 1999 o Partnerships are made with ballet companies so that prize winners can follow a professional apprenticeship. o The partner schools agree to ensure that the prize winners that choose them can complete their academic degrees. o The candidates that are screened out during the week can follow classes during the competition and meet members of the jury for feedback. 2000 o Introduction of individual coaching: the candidates receive advice from a ballet principal to improve the artistic interpretation of their variation. o Creation of the Prize for Contemporary Interpretation o A health check of the candidates is included in the registration procedures of the competition. 2001 o Jan Nuyts steps down and transmits the artistic direction to Mavis Staines. o First live streaming of the finals on the Prix website. 2004 o Introduction of a new grading system to follow the evolution of the requirements of the dance profession. o Creation of the networking forum: the non finalist candidates can take an audition class that is observed by persons from the partner schools and companies to – potentially – invite or hire certain of the candidates. 2005 Franz Blankart steps down and hands the presidency of the foundation to Charles Gebhard. 2006 In order to expand the scope of participants to the competition, the selection is now done by video submission. 2007 The age limit of the candidates is raised by one year (18 years and 11 months). - 4 - PRIX DE LAUSANNE 2012 – 40th COMPETITION Prix de Lausanne celebrates its 40th anniversary 2008 o Distribution of candidates in two age groups (15-16 years and 17-18 years) o Substitution of the semi-finals in favour of classes and coaching. o Mavis Staines steps down and transmits the artistic direction to Wim Broeckx. 2010 Charles Gebhard steps down and hands over the presidency of the foundation to Beth Krasna. 2011 Beth Krasna’s principal objective is to ensure the future of the holistic approach of the competition launched by Philippe and Elvire Braunschweig. 2012 o 40th anniversary of the Prix de Lausanne celebrated with an “all prize winner” jury, teachers, coaches and most of the artists of the Gala evening performance.