Finalists 2026

Today, during the Selection rounds of the Prix de Lausanne 2026, 78* candidates from all around the world have performed one classical variation and one contemporary variation on the stage of the Beaulieu Theatre, in Lausanne, in front of a large audience. The members of the jury observed and marked the candidates throughout the week before submitting their final scores at the end of the Selection rounds.

The Jury, composed of nine renowned figures in the dance field and chaired this year by Kevin O’Hare, Director of the Royal Ballet, has selected 21 Finalists:

107 — REGO DE SOUZA Pietra (15.8 years old) — Brazil
112 — LIU Xiner (15.11 years old) — P. R. China
201 — SAI Yusei (15 years old) — Japan
202 — SENGUPTA Nikhil (15.5 years old) — United States
203 — THIJS Jetro (15.6 years old) — Belgium
206 — METCALF Blake (15.8 years old) — United States
213 — CAO Yufei (16.10 years old) — P. R. China
301 — HUANG Jingxinyu (17.0 years old) — P. R. China
302 — YEOM Dayeon (17.1 years old) — South Korea
304 — MAIONE Sarah (17.4 years old) — Italy
306 — KIM Tae Eun (17.5 years old) — South Korea
308 — ITO Lisa (17.7 years old) — Japan
309 — SHIN Ara (17.9 years old) — South Korea
310 — JEON Jiyul (17.9 years old) — South Korea
314 — QIN Yihan (18.1 years old) — P. R. China
406 — LU Haowen (17.9 years old) — P. R. China
413 — GRAMADA Dragos (18.1 years old) — Romania
415 — DEMEULENAERE Milo (18.2 years old) — United States
417 — BANG Suhyeok (18.3 years old) — South Korea
418 — SON Mingyun (18.3 years old) — South Korea
424 — GYVES William (18.7 years old) — United States

The 21 selected candidates are from 8 different nationalities. The most represented ones are South Korea (6 candidates), China (5 candidates), United States (4 candidates).

Tomorrow during the Finals, fourteen of the twenty-one Finalists will be awarded either a scholarship or an apprenticeship, depending on their age, enabling them to continue their training at some of the world’s most prestigious ballet schools and companies.

The Finals will take place on Saturday, 7 February at 2.30 pm (Swiss time). The live stream, provided by ARTE Concert, will be available on our website and on our YouTube channel. The Prize Winners will be announced around 6 pm.

*Seolah Kim (121) has withdrawn from the competition due to injury, but she will receive feedback from the Jury and will still take part in our networking forum. We wish her a prompt recovery!