Congratulations to Noah Benzie-Drayton of the Perth School of Ballet who was selected as a finalist at the 2019 Prix de Lausanne.
Of the 74 candidates who were selected from around the world to compete at the Prix de Lausanne (including nine Australians), 21 were chosen as to compete in the finals. Candidates took classes and rehearsals through the week observed many times by the nine members of the jury, before performing a classical variation and a contemporary variation for the jury and a large audience. The jury then announced the finalists.
The finals were held Saturday 9 February at the Beaulieu Theatre. Of the 21 finalists eight were awarded a scholarship allowing them to enter one of the partner schools or companies of the Prix de Lausanne. The eight prize winners are: Mackenzie Brown (United States, Gabriel Figueredo (Brazil), Sumina Sasaki (Japan), Yu Wakizuka (Japan), Shuailun Wu (China), João Vitor Da Silva (Brazil), Alexandre Joaquim (Portugal), Mio Sumiyama (Japan).
On Sunday 10 February all candidates had the opportunity to participate in the Networking Forum, allowing them to meet with some of the representatives of the Prix de Lausanne partner schools and companies.
Pictured top: Noah Benzie-Drayton. Photo: Gregory Batardon.