As I write we’re awash with weddings.   Kitri, Aurora, James and Désiré are all celebrating matrimonials at regular intervals.    The juniors had their turn to shine in the spotlight earlier today and now it’s the turn of the seniors.

One has to wonder what Bournonville exponent and President of the Jury, Frank Andersen, must be thinking as the twenty-third James of the afternoon launches into his solo from La Sylphide?

The backstage area is alive with whooping, hollering and applause.  Those not dancing avidly follow the progress of those on stage via video relay.   There are two or three monitors strategically placed around the warm-up area.

Sometimes the marriage doesn't work out -- the story dies on the vine, despite multiple attempts to breathe life into it.   This sadly will be the case later today, for even with the best will in the world, not everyone will go forward to tomorrow’s final round.   For those dancers not selected, the Prix offers a series of classes to which they can be seen by those school and company directors here in Lausanne.   Following these classes, we arrange meetings for those dancers whom directors of our partner institutions have expressed interest.   This is our sixth year of offering this Networking Forum and to date, 70 students have been offered places at partner schools or companies as a result.

More and more guests are arriving by the minute.   Possibly they’d received hard-won invitations to share in the marriage celebrations?   Amongst the glitterati, today saw the arrival of Rachel Moore (Executive Director, American Ballet Theatre), Lindsay Fisher (Artistic Director YOU  Dance/Ballet Master, National Ballet of Canada) and Nina Ananiashvili (Artistic Director, the State Ballet of Georgia).    The “superstar ballerina” is as gracious and effervescent as ever.   Nina remains the physical embodiment of all that is exquisite in our art form.   

In the basement studio Leanne Benjamin and Edward Watson, guest artists from London’s Royal Ballet, are rehearsing the pas de deux from Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon in readiness for tomorrow’s entr’acte performance.

I will close now for one of my former students, Bryan Chan (who is successfully leading his career with Zurich Ballet), is coming to Lausanne to see me in a little while.   I have to hope that there’ll be time amid the frenetic tumult of tomorrow to update you.  However, if this doesn’t transpire, do please enjoy the live transmission of the finals on the web at www.prixdelausanne-live.com

C u all next year!