2026 Finals Interlude

This year, we are pleased to welcome as guests Shale Wagman and Inès McIntosh, rising stars of the Paris Opera Ballet. They will  dance the pas de deux from Les Amants voilés et Le Corsaire.

Les Amants Voilés, by Francesco Nappa, pas de deux
Music by Henryk Szeryng and Charles Reiner

Le Corsaire, by Marius Petipa, pas de deux
Music by Riccardo Drigo

Photo by: Jack Devant

In order to celebrate the legacy of August Bournonville and the integration of his variation La Kermesse à Bruges (1851) into its classical repertoire, the Prix de Lausanne has chosen to present this work during the interlude. It will be performed by Silvia Selvini and Alban Lendorf, dancers of the Royal Danish Ballet, under the direction of Amy Watson, Director of the Royal Danish Ballet. In the future, this variation may be selected and performed on stage by the candidates.

This week, the Young Creation Award finals were held on Wednesday, 4 February, and five finalists presented their original variations to the public and the Prix de Lausanne’s Jury. Two beautiful variations were chosen, and we are absolutely delighted to present them to the audience for a second time on the Beaulieu Theatre stage during the Finals’ Interlude!

• Ritual
  By Max Cowan (Ireland) – School of the Hamburg Ballet 
  Dancer: Quetzalcoatl Flores Cardeña 
  Music: African Food Truck, Sahara Skyli
• Tidal 
  By Kyra Wentzlaff (United States) – School of the Hamburg Ballet
  Dancer: Paolo Leanza
  Music: Melting Glass, Eden Avery

We are thrilled to honour the Partner School Choreographic Project by presenting it as a world premiere during the Final’s Interlude on the Beaulieu Theatre’s stage!

Since 2018, the Prix de Lausanne has been proud to offer the Partner School Choreographic Project. Designed as a choreographic and educational programme, it gives selected students from our Partner Schools the opportunity to come to Lausanne to learn and perform a unique, tailor-made choreography with a renowned choreographer.

This year, 27 young dancers from our Partner Schools participated in this unique project and staged an original piece by choreographer Edwaard Liang in one week. We are thrilled to honour this beautiful project by presenting it as a world premiere during the Final’s Interlude on the Beaulieu Theatre’s stage!

Read more about the Choreographic Project

A moment of great significance, the Interlude of the Finals will conclude with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be awarded this year to Sylvie Guillem.

Sylvie Guillem’s journey is a testament to pushing boundaries through courage, discipline, and an unwavering artistic vision.

Born in Paris, she began in gymnastics before being accepted at the age of 11 into the Paris Opera Ballet School, where years of rigorous training shaped her into one of the most exceptional dancers of her generation. In pursuit of greater artistic freedom, she left the Paris Opera Ballet for The Royal Ballet in London, expanding her artistry across both the great classics and bold contemporary creations. She later devoted herself to contemporary dance
through projects such as Broken Fall, Push, Sacred Monsters, and Eonnagata, captivating audiences around the globe.
Honoured with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale, a special Olivier Award, the Praemium Imperiale, the Légion d’Honneur, as well as other French and British distinctions, Guillem’s career stands as a reminder of a path shaped not only by exceptional talent brilliance, but by a profound courage to evolve.

Click here to find out more about Sylvie Guillem’s extraordinary story!