Royal Ballet School students triumph at 2010 Genée International Ballet Awards

Last Sunday evening (21 November) at Sadler's Wells Theatre twelve finalists (drawn from 71 semi-finalists) competed for medals at the Genée International Ballet Competition - the most important event on the calendar of the Royal Academy of Dance and one of the most prestigious international ballet competitions. Ten of these finalists were Royal Ballet Upper School students:

Evangeline Ball
Laura Day
Karla Doorbar
Francesca Hayward
Tierney Heap
Anna Rose O'Sullivan
Sean Bates
Lachlan Monaghan
Donald Thom
Dominic Whitbrook

Taking the evening’s top prizes of silver medals were two graduate-year students Sean Bates and Francesca Hayward. Francesca was also awarded the Audience Choice Award. Bronze medals were awarded to Tierney Heap (girls) and Lachlan Monaghan (boys). A young Italian dancer, Orazio di Bella who is currently training at Elmhurst, shared the bronze medal (boys) with Lachlan. No gold medal was awarded this year.

President of the Royal Academy of Dance and one of The Royal Ballet School’s most celebrated former students, Dame Antoinette Sibley DBE comments:

‘The standard across the board was very high this year and my fellow judges (Dame Monica Mason DBE, The Royal Ballet and David Nixon OBE, Northern Ballet Theatre) and I feel that the future of ballet is very safe indeed’.

Next year’s Genée International Ballet Competition will be held in Cape Town, South Africa.

www.rad.org.uk


Photo: Elliott Franks