The highest ballet awards were presented at the 18th Prix Benois de la Danse ceremony on the New Stage of Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater.
The highest ballet awards were presented at the 18th Prix Benois de la Danse ceremony on the New Stage of Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater. Photo: Karlsruhe State Ballet soloists Bruna Andrade and Marcos Menha performing at a charity gala concert of 2010 Prix nominees.
Each year, an international jury comprising influential celebrities from the global choreographic community, including directors of major ballet companies, outstanding choreographers, famous educators and international ballet stars, selects the best representatives from the world of ballet. Photo: Benois de la Danse nominees, Dutch National Ballet soloists Anu Viheriäranta and Alexander Zhembrovsky.
Seven performers, including two Russians, Maria Alexandrova from the Bolshoi Theater and Yevgenia Obraztsova from the Mariinsky Theater, vied for the Best Ballerina award. Photo: Mariinsky Theater soloist Yevgenia Obraztsova and Russian Bolshoi Theater soloist Mikhail Lobukhin.
France’s Helen Boucher was awarded the Best Ballerina prize for her part as Euridice in Igor Stravinsky’s Orpheus.
Helen Boucher’s partner, Thiago Bordin of Brazil, was awarded the Best Dancer prize for his part as Armand Duval in La Dame Aux Camelias ballet by Frederick Chopin. The prize also went to U.S. dancer David Hallberg from the American Ballet Theater for his part as Count Albert in Giselle by Adolphe Adam. Photo: Hamburg Ballet soloist Thiago Bordin.
“I did not expect such success. Thiago and I have been sharing the stage for ten years. Our latest dual victory was completely unexpected,” said Hamburg Ballet soloist Helen Boucher. Photo: Hamburg Ballet soloists Helen Boucher and Thiago Bordin.
Although six ballet masters vied for the Best Choreographer prize, it was decided not to award it to anyone. State Vienna Opera soloist Maria Yakovleva and Berlin State Ballet soloist Marian Walter performing at a charity gala concert of 2010 Prix nominees.
Since the 2009 Benois de la Danse ceremony had not taken place, last year’s awards were also presented here. Bolshoi Theater soloist Natalia Osipova and Kirsty Martin from the Australian Ballet received the Best Ballerina prize. Joaquín De Luz from the American Ballet Theater and Ivan Vasilyev from Russia’s State Academic Bolshoi Theater were awarded the Best Dancer prize. Photo: Australian Ballet soloists Kirsty Martin and Robert Carren performing at a charity gala concert of 2010 Prix nominees.
The awards ceremony was followed by a charity gala concert of 2010 Prix nominees. Photo: English National Ballet soloists Begonia Cao and Dmitry Gruzdev performing at a charity gala concert of 2010 Prix nominees.
Bavarian State Ballet soloists Zuzana Zahradnikova and Tigran Mikaelyan.
Soloists Natasha Lommi and Elina Hayrynen of the Susanna Leinonen Company performing at a charity gala concert of 2010 Prix nominees.
The Prix Benois de la Danse was founded by the International Dance Association in Moscow in 1991. Prominent choreographer Yury Grigorovich has been the project’s art director and jury chairman since. Photo: Yury Grigorovich presenting a prize to Hamburg Ballet soloist Helen Boucher.
