Pointe Magazine

Congratulations to the 2024 Prix de Lausanne Winners!

February 5, 2024

The 2024 Prix de Lausanne came to a close Sunday, marking the end of an exciting week of classes, coaching sessions, and performances. The annual international competition, held in Lausanne, Switzerland, awarded nine young dancers scholarships to enter one of its prestigious partner schools or companies. Eighty-six dancers ages 15 through 18 participated in the weeklong event, held at Lausanne’s Beaulieu Theatre. Twenty of them advanced to the February 3 finals, which were livestreamed around the world.

All of the candidates, who were evaluated by an esteemed international jury led by Dame Darcey Bussell, performed a classical and a contemporary variation. This year the dancers could choose from a selection of contemporary solos by Jorma Elo, Christopher Wheeldon, or Cathy Marston, or the variations choreographed by the Prix’s 2023 Young Creation Award winners: Tout va bien?, by Elena Dombrowski, a corps member with Czech National Ballet, and Do You Care?, by American Ballet Theatre corps member Aleisha Walker (both popular choices).

At Saturday night’s award ceremony, Bussell offered invaluable advice for all the young candidates. “I would love to remind you that first and foremost you are an artist. The social media show-reels of moves and extreme poses are not true reflection of our emotional, provoking art.” After enthusiastic applause from the audience, she continued: “Please focus on how your expressive moves will contribute to the storytelling ability of dance. You are unique, and you have a story to tell with each and every move you make.”

In addition to nine scholarships, the Prix offered six other awards in special categories. Those finalists who did not win a prize received the Finalist Award, a sum of 1,000 Swiss Francs. And all Prix de Lausanne candidates were eligible to participate in a networking forum on Sunday with partner school and company representatives.

Read on to learn more about the 2024 Prix de Lausanne awardees, and to see some of their beautiful dancing. Congratulations to all!

1. João Pedro Dos Santos Silva (Brazil)

This year’s top prize went to the youngest finalist: 15-year-old João Pedro Dos Santos Silva, who attends the Basileu França in his native Brazil. He charmed in his playful variation from Harlequinade, and later showed a more intense side in a solo from Jorma Elo’s Plan to B. In a heartfelt speech, he thanked his family, teachers, friends, and the state of Goiás in Brazil.

2. Martinho Lima Santos (Portugal)

Martinho Lima Santos, wearing blue harem pants, ballet slippers and a blue headband with feather, stands at the front of a stage and opens his arms wide to the audience. He has a huge smile on his face. A group of other teenage male and female dancers in various classical ballet costumes stand behind him upstage and clap.
Martinho Lima Santos, of Portugal. Photo by Gregory Batardon, courtesy Prix de Lausanne.

Martinho Lima Santos, 17, attends Académie Princesse Grace in Monaco, one of three prizewinners from the school. He danced a passionate, musically nuanced variation from Le Corsaire, and his stunning interpretation of Do You Care? led him to also receive the Contemporary Dance Award.

3. Paloma Livellara Vidart (Argentina)

Eighteen-year-old Paloma Livellara Vidart, who also trains at Académie Princess Grace, gave a confident performance in Gamzatti’s variation from La Bayadère. But her turn in Christopher Wheeldon’s You Turn Me on, I’m a Radio solo was even more impressive, showcasing pure, uninhibited joy.

4. Crystal Huang (USA)

Crystal Huang, 15, is one of two scholarship winners from the U.S. She trains at both California’s Bayer Ballet Academy and The Rock Center for Dance in Las Vegas. All of that interstate commuting has paid off: Huang was both classically crisp in her variation from Le Corsaire and fluidly powerful in Walker’s Do You Care? solo.

5. Airi Kobayashi (Japan)

Eighteen-year-old Airi Kobayashi attends the Deparc Ballet School in her native Japan. She performed a beautifully controlled, soulful Act I variation from Raymonda (her tutu was equally stunning), and she was impressively grounded in her contemporary selection from Jorma Elo’s 1st Flash.

6. Jenson Blight (Australia)

Jenson Blight, wearing a gray harem pants, a one-sleeved gray shirt gathered at the waist, and tan ballet slippers, stands at the front of a stage and lifts his right arm in preparation for a bow. He out into the audience and smiles. A group of other teenage male and female dancers in various classical ballet costumes stand behind him upstage and clap.
Jenson Blight. Photo by Gregory Batardon, courtesy Prix de Lausanne.

Jenson Blight, 17, hails from Australia’s Queensland Ballet Academy. His Talisman variation burst with energy, with bold, space-eating jumps throughout. He later brought grounded, fluid fullness to Elena Dombroski’s Tout va bien? solo.

7. Juliann Fedele-Malard (France)

Juliann Fedele-Malard, wearing black tights and ballet slippers, a red vest and a black bolero jacket with gold trim, stands at the front of a stage and opens his arms wide to the audience. He has a smile on his face. A group of other teenage male and female dancers in various classical ballet costumes stand behind him upstage and clap.
Juliann Fedele-Malard. Photo by Gregory Batardon, courtesy Prix de Lausanne.

Eighteen-year-old Juliann Fedele-Malard, of France, attends Académie Princesse Grace in Monaco. An elegant, noble dancer, he showcased his lofty jumps in his variation from Paquita, and his movement was both sweeping and articulate in the Urge for Going solo by Christopher Wheeldon.

8. Natalie Steele (USA)

Originally from California, Natalie Steele is a 17-year-old student at American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. Her performance of Aurora’s Act III variation from Sleeping Beauty was both classically pure and artistically effervescent. She later brought athletic verve and intense focus to her solo from Jorma Elo’s Plan to B.

9. Taichi Toshida (Japan)

Taichi Toshida, 15, is a student at Architanz Training Program in Tokyo, Japan. He brought pure joy and bounding energy to his Colas variation from La Fille Mal Gardée, and a lyrical sense of wonder to his contemporary selection, Do You Care?

Young Creation Awards

  • Quinn Bates and Miguel Artur Alves Oliveira stand next to each other onstage and prepare to take a bow. Bates wears a gray button-down shirt and black pants, while ALves Oliveira wears a black sleeveless shirt, loos-fitting gray pants and blue socks.
    Quinn Bates (left) with dancer Miguel Artur Alves Oliveira. Photo by Gregory Batardon, courtesy Prix de Lausanne.
  • Miguel Artur Alves Oliveira dances onstage, leaning back and doing a layout with his left leg while keeping his arms relazed at his sides. He wears a black sleeveless t-shirt, loose-fitting gray sweatpants and blue socks.
    Miguel Artur Alves Oliveira performs Quinn Bates’ Groovin’. Photo by Gregory Batardon, courtesy Prix de Lausanne.
  • Kseniya Kosava and Sakura Natorigawa hold hands onstage and prepare to take a bow, Kosava wears a short green, long-sleeved dress and heels. Natorigawa wears a purple shirt, black pants and purple socks.
    Kseniya Kosava (left) with Sakura Natorigawa. Photo by Gregory Batardon, courtesy Prix de Lausanne.
  • Sakura Natorigawa crouches low to the ground onstage and peers through her fingers on her right hand. She wears a loose purple top, black pants, and purple socks.
    Sakura Natorigawa dances Kseniya Kosava’s Under glass. Photo by Gregory Batardon, courtesy Prix de Lausanne.

The two winning solos will be included in the 2025 Prix de Lausanne contemporary repertoire, and both choreographers will be invited to the competition to coach the candidates performing them.

  • Quinn Bates (USA), School of the Hamburg Ballett John Neumeier, for Groovin’
  • Kseniya Kosava (Belarus), Palucca University of Dance Dresden, for Under Glass

Other Awards

Ruby Day, wearing a gold and white tutu, pink tights, pointe shoes and a gold headpiece, stands at the front of a stage in B plus and opens her arms wide to the audience. She has a happy smile on her face. A group of other teenage male and female dancers in various classical ballet costumes stand behind him upstage and clap.
Ruby Day. Photo by Gregory Batardon, courtesy Prix de Lausanne.
  • Best Young Talent Award: Ruby Day (Australia), Queensland Ballet Academy
  • Contemporary Dance Award: Martinho Lima Santos (Portugal), Académie Princesse Grace
  • Best Swiss Candidate Award: Giuseppe Schillaci (Italy), Zurich Dance Academy
  • Audience Favorite Award: Paloma Livella Vidart (Argentina), Académie Princesse Grace
  • Web Audience Favorite Award: João Pedro Dos Santos Silva (Brazil), Basileu França
  • Beaulieu Award: Paloma Livella Vidart (Argentina), Académie Princesse Grace
ballet competition international ballet competitions prix de lausanne prix de lausanne 2024