Ninette de Valois Junior Choreographic Award – winners announced

The Ninette de Valois Junior Choreographic Award was held at the Lower School on Thursday 29 March.

Part of the School’s extensive choreographic training programme, entry for this award is open to Years 7, 8 and 9 (for students aged 11 - 13 years). It is named in memory of the School’s founder, Dame Ninette de Valois, who from the founding of the School in 1926, placed great importance on choreographic training. This philosophy continues to be a cornerstone of the School’s training today.

This year’s judges were Mark Annear, The Royal Ballet School’s Head of Outreach and Teacher Training; Richard Glasstone, a close Associate of De Valois and former teacher at the Lower School and Jennifer Jackson, Choreographer and Choreographic Coordinator at the Upper School.

The judges’ results were as follows:
1st prize: ‘Adare Avanti’ - Amelia Palmiero (Year 9)

2nd prize: ‘Social Circles’ - Claudia Nicholson (Year 9)

Joint 3rd prize: ‘Royalty’s Coming’ - Matthew Bates (Year 7) and ‘Sycamore Morning’ - Daniel Myers (Year 9)

The James Monahan Medal for the most promising choreographer: ‘Social Circles’ - Claudia Nicholson (Year 9)

The John Mitchell Prize for the best folder of choreography notes: ‘Sycamore Morning’ - Daniel Myers (Year 9)

The Valerie Adams Award for exceptional talent in musicality and dance quality: shared by Naomi Bottomer and Kilian Smith (Year 11)

The April Olrich Award for dynamic performance: Chisato Katsura (Year 11)

Pictured: Winners and Judges 2012
Photo: Marius Arnold Clarke