28 August 2019 01:11
Genée 2019 finalists announced - 4 Australians make the field!
A total of 62 candidates of 13 different nationalities have been whittled down to 14 finalists, all set to compete in the first Genée final to be held in Toronto since 2008.
A warm congratulations to all the finalists and in particular to the four Australian's who have big footsteps to follow of fellow Australians who have had a strong history of success in the competition since our first Gold medalist Laurel Martyn (then Gill) in 1935.
The 2019 Genée finalists are:
- Alyssa Churchill (17), Canadian, trained by Felicity Rootes and Laura Prada
- Beatriz Ribeiro Galli Ferreira (17), Brazilian, trained by Daniele Bittencourt and Beatriz Molinari
- Paloma Hendry-Hodsdon (17), Australian, trained by Shirley Rogers
- Sophie Higgins (17), Canadian, trained by Tania Brossoit
- Caitlin Jones (18), Welsh, trained by Jonathan Barton
- Primrose Kern (16), Australian, trained by Heidi Landford
- Anya Mercer (16), British, trained by Victoria Allport and Deborah Mercer
- London Mills (17), American, trained by Susan Case and Alexandra Koltun
- Hitoe Nakatamari (19), Japanese, trained by Mika Tamaru
- Darrion Sellman (15), American, trained by Andrea Paris-Guiterrez and Jose Carayol
- Jessica Templeton (16), British, trained by Faculty of Tring Park School
- Julian Wen-Sheng Gan (17), Malaysian, trained by Serena Tan Suet Leng
- Eliza Wenham (15), Australian, trained by Marie Walton Mahon
- Mia Zanardo (15), Australian, trained by Hilary Kaplan and Archibald McKenzie
The Choreographic Award was won by South African dancer, Ashton Parker aged 20, trained by Jonathan Barton. The judges felt that her solo Alcoba Azul (choreographed by Indra Reinholde ) demonstrated the highest standard of choreography within the Dancer’s Own category.
After two days of semi-finals, judged by Dame Monica Mason DBE, former Director of The Royal Ballet, Mikko Nissinen, Artistic Director of Boston Ballet and Magdalena Popa, Principal Artistic Coach of The National Ballet of Canada, the finalists now compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. In addition to the three medals, the Margot Fonteyn Audience Choice Award will also be given.