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 The
Final of this prestigious
ballet competition took
place at the Royal Opera
House on Saturday evening,
8 March.
From dance schools throughout
the UK, 16 finalists aged
between 15 and 17 were
selected to perform at
the Linbury Studio Theatre
at the Royal Opera House
in front of an enthusiastic
audience and a distinguished
jury of ballet company
directors and illustrious
figures from the dance
world. The panel was chaired
by Wim Broeckx, Director
of the Dance Department
of the Royal Conservatory
in The Hague, and he was
joined by Monica Mason,
David Bintley, Wayne Eagling,
Ashley Page, David Nixon,
Deanne Bergsma, Laura
Connor and Frank Freeman.
The Young British Dancer
of the Year Award was
launched in 2000 to encourage,
assist and celebrate outstanding
young British talent in
the world of classical
dance. Through the generous
sponsorship of Ricki Gail
Conway, the Award is open
to all British dancers
or those who have been
resident and trained in
Britain for a period of
three years or more.
The Young British Dancer
of the Year 2008 was announced
as William Bracewell (16
years) currently a 1st
Year student at the The
Royal Ballet School. William
is originally from Wales
and trained at White Lodge
before joining the Upper
School.
2nd prize was awarded
to Tristan Dyer, a student
of British/Australian
nationality aged 17 in
his 2nd Year at The Royal
Ballet Upper School. Before
joining The Royal Ballet
School in 2007, Tristan
studied at The Australian
Ballet School.
3rd prize was awarded
to Laurretta Summerscales
aged 17 from Surrey who
currently studies at the
English National Ballet
School. Laurretta was
also finalist at YBDY
2007 when she studied
with Susan Robinson.
Sean Bates, aged 15 from
Milton Keynes and in Year
11 at The Royal Ballet
Lower School, won the
Sibley Dowell Award for
a promising student with
potential. Brandon Lawrence,
aged 16 from Bradford
and also in Year 11 at
the Lower School, received
a commendation. This adds
to a successful year for
Brandon following the
announcement in January
at the Critics’
Circle National Dance
Awards 2007 that he had
won the Working Title
Billy Elliot Award. Jonathan
Hanks, aged 17 from Gloucester
and currently a 2nd Year
student at The Royal Ballet
Upper School, also received
a commendation.
Summer School prizes
for students not currently
studying at vocational
schools were awarded to
Sasha Mukhamedov from
the Mukhamedov Studios
(The Royal Ballet School
prize), Emma Hinds from
De Burnay’s School
of Dance in Nottinghamshire
(English National Ballet
School prize), Michaela
Guibarra from the Jill
Stew School of Dance in
Witney (The Wells Summer
School prize) and Matilda
Naylor from Buckingham
Dance Studios in Torquay
(Yorkshire Ballet Seminars
prize).
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