2009 Benois Prize

Jury and Nominees have been anounced. The information has been released at: ITAR-TASS http://www.itar-tass.com/level2.html?NewsID=13750013


Jury

- President: Youri Grigorovitch

- Kathryn Bennet (Belgium – director of the Royal Ballet of Flandres)

- Claude Bessy (France - former étoile at ONP, theatre and cinema actress)

- Marina Leonova (Russia – director of the Moscow Academy of Choreography)

- David McAllister (Australia – artistic director of the Australian Ballet)

- Barry Hughson (USA – executive director of Atlanta Ballet)

- Victor Ullate (Spain – director of the National Classical Ballet and Ballet Victor Ullate)


Nominations - Choreographers

- Eduardo Lao - Tres (music: L. Van Beethoven) / Ballet of Madrid

- Wayne McGregor - Infra (music: M. Richter) / Royal Ballet

- José Martinez - Les Enfants du paradis (music: M.O. Dupin) / Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris

- Laurie Stallings - Big / Atlanta Ballet


Nominations - Ballerinas

- Dorothée Gilbert - Lise at La Fille mal gardée (F. Ashton) / Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris

- Ekaterina Kondaurova - Odette-Odile at Le Lac des cygnes / Mariinsky theatre Ballet

- Kirsty Martin - L'Histoire de Manon (K. McMillan) / Australian Ballet

- Itziar Mendizabal – L’Oiseau de feu (P. Chalmer, after M. Fokine) / Leipziger Ballet

- Natalia Osipova - Giselle (Y. Grigorovitch), Medora at Le Corsaire (A. Ratmansky/Y. Burlaka), The Sylphide (A. Bournonville), Jeanne at Flammes de Paris (A. Ratmansky) / Bolchoï Ballet Theatre

- Anita Pacylowski - pas de deux / Carolina Ballet Theatre


Nominations - Dansers

- Adam Bull - Siegfried at Le Lac des cygnes (Graeme Murphy) / Australian Ballet

- Ivan Vassiliev - Conrad at Le Corsaire (A. Ratmansky/Y. Burlaka), Philippe at Flammes de Paris (A. Ratmansky) / Bolchoï Ballet Théâtre

- Joaquin de Luz – Prodigal Son (G. Balanchine) / New York City Ballet

- Desmond Richardson - solo of D. Rhoden / Complexions Contemporary Ballet

- Alain Honorez - duo of Herman Schmerman (W. Forsythe), Psalm Symphony (J. Kylian) / Ballet Royal of Flandres
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I've noticed that there is some misundersdanting about the Spanish Ballet Companies.

The National Classical Ballet doesn’t exist yet in Spain and the Ballet Víctor Ullate and Ballet of Madrid are the same.

Víctor Ullate and Eduardo Lao are both working at the Ballet Víctor Ullate/Ballet of Madrid. This company will disappear as soon as the announced new company "National Classical Ballet of Spain" sees light.

Seems a bit odd as it's stated mainly if one is Jury and the other Nominee

Winners of the 2009 Benois Prizes, were announced yesterday during a press conference at the ITAR-TASS agency:


Best choreographer

- Wayne McGregor - Infra (music by : M. Richter) / Royal Ballet

- José Martinez - Les Enfants du paradis (music by: M.O. Dupin) / Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris


Best Dancer (female)

- Kirsty Martin – main role of L'Histoire de Manon (K. McMillan) / Australian Ballet

- Natalia Osipova - main role of Giselle (version of Y. Grigorovitch), Medora in Le Corsaire (version of A. Ratmansky/Y. Burlaka), main role of La Sylphide (A. Bournonville), Jeanne in Flammes de Paris (A. Ratmansky) / Théâtre Bolchoï Ballet


Best Dancer (male)

- Ivan Vassiliev - Conrad in Le Corsaire (A. Ratmansky/Y. Burlaka version), Philippe in Flammes de Paris (A. Ratmansky) / Théâtre Bolchoï Ballet

- Joaquin de Luz – main role of Le Fils Prodigue (G. Balanchine) / New York City Ballet



Congratulations to them all!!!

Many thanks for the news Caroline.

Wayne McGregor's "Infra" was one of my dance highlights last year - he really has a knack with duets.

Of the other artists I have seen, few could argue with Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vassiliev - two of the most exciting dancers I have seen in recent years.

I'll make a note of the names of the other artists, whi must be worth seeing.

Well as for me I’ve never seen any works of McGregor but he is scheduled at this year’s “Grec” Barcelona summer festival, with Entity and I’ll not miss.

But I know very well José Martinez both as etoile dancer at the ONP and as choreographer.

He uses to be in Spain many times with a group of ONP dancers with his works, Mi Favorita, Delibes suite, etc.. and I was in Paris when he opened Les Enfants du Paradis, the choreography with which he has awarded the Benois and I really think he is a very talented creator.

Please let me link the report we issued at fotoescena:

Les Enfants du Paradis

and the thoughts of his assistant of choreography the amazing Arantxa Sagardoy

An unrepeatable experience

The principal dancer, as you will clearly see at Jesus' shots, was Isabelle Ciaravola who has just been named "étoile" this year for her performance in Onegin.

I'm happy José has won, he really deserved this too