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Jan 26, 2021
Gregory Batardon, Courtesy Prix de Lausanne
The 2021 Prix de Lausanne Prepares for a Year Like No Other
In an ordinary year, early February marks an exciting time in the ballet world: the return of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne competition. But this is no ordinary year, so this is no ordinary Prix. Due to the pandemic, the 2021 edition will run from January 31 to February 7, completely via video.
<p>Rather than travel to Switzerland to perform in person, the 78 carefully selected<a href="https://www.prixdelausanne.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Selected-candidates-list_PDL2021_4.pdf" target="_blank"> candidates</a> (including 11 Americans), who hail from 20 countries, will submit prerecorded videos of classical and contemporary variations and classwork in hopes of winning scholarships or apprentice contracts to top-tier international academies and companies. Their work will be viewed by a panel of nine ballet luminaries, chaired by Basel Ballet director and head choreographer Richard Wherlock.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNTQzNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTc5NjQ4MH0.4jjeb9nIVIdcINWLBsvMjHZCsAf0kuKtJrrezidr0HE/img.jpg?width=980" id="96881" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6ef822e9c2e648778402643acd9963e3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="A female Asian ballet student in a black leotard and white tutu practices her port de bras in front of a mirror backstage." data-width="2500" data-height="1667" />
A competitor from the 2020 Prix de Lausanne practices backstage.
Gregory Batardon, Courtesy Prix de Lausanne
<p>The jury members, who will meet in a hotel ballroom in Lausanne while maintaining social distancing, will watch the performances via video and judge them live. Sticking to the normal Prix de Lausanne schedule, they'll narrow the group down to 20 finalists by the end of the week, and view their variations anew during the finals on February 6. Fans around the world can follow the competition all week through a livestream on Prix de Lausanne's website and on Arte Concert.</p><p>"We've been changing our plan since last April," says Prix de Lausanne artistic and executive director Kathryn Bradney. "We were hoping that the situation would get better and candidates could come to Lausanne, but of course that isn't the case." Bradney's team has been working to make sure that this newly fashioned version of the Prix runs as smoothly as possible, since the ultimate goal is to match young talent with partner schools and companies. "We're doing a huge effort to put our partners in contact with the dancers," says Bradney, who worked to develop a private networking app aimed to facilitate connections. "This way the dancers won't miss out on the year, and can get a possible offer starting August or September of 2021."</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNTQxNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNTA5NDcxNX0.pZLbSA-5TPpdW04aWOkj59uL0EzOKC5OBYSBZZ18Y18/img.jpg?width=980" id="dff8e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a9649df1f12b965de7f7ac5aef469eef" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Kathryn Bradney, a middle-aged white woman with brown, bobbed hair and wearing a black velvet top, offers a small smile to the camera while touching the brown velvet scarf draped around her shoulders." data-width="1181" data-height="1229" />
Prix de Lausanne artistic and executive director Kathryn Bradney
Anne-Laure Lechat and Amélie Blanc, Courtesy Prix de Lausanne
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<p>To help place the candidates on equal footing despite the huge variety of circumstances they're currently living and training under, the Prix de Lausanne supplied them each with funds to rent space and film their variations. And in lieu of the full week of on-site classes and coaching the jury usually has access to, the dancers will submit just 10 minutes of classwork. "It's five minutes of barre and five minutes of center," says Bradney. "But they'll use their teachers' exercises, so they're actually comfortable with what they're doing. It shows them at their best." And since December, competitors have also had access to prerecorded Zoom master classes and contemporary coaching sessions, designed to expose them to different teachers and approaches.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNTQ4MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNTMzMjUyNH0.C5tasXe9WVwOFNMoECygYjIqf3uN2syKRYnGXvz4S6Y/img.jpg?width=980" id="4cbdf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ca12b6a0f4ad19bb00a66348d105cb97" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="In front of a blue backdrop on a brightly lit stage, a large group of teenage male and female dancers in various costumes stand casually facing an unknown speaker and clap their hands with excitement." data-width="2500" data-height="1667" />
Finalists from the 2020 Prix de Lausanne
Rodrigo Buas, Courtesy Prix de Lausanne
<p>Despite all of the changes, the Prix de Lausanne is thriving. This year marks the inaugural Young Creation Award, a choreographic competition open to dancemakers ages 14 to 20. The two winners, chosen from a pool of five preselected finalists, will choreograph solos for the repertoire of contemporary variations available to Prix competitors in 2022. And this year, the Prix de Lausanne saw the highest number of applicants in its 49-year history: 399 dancers from 43 countries. "The level is really high," says Bradney. "I can see the dancers' determination despite the lockdowns. Dancers want to dance anyways, and they've been working from home and keeping in shape. It's been really inspiring."</p><p><em>Watch the Prix de Lausanne live from January 31 to February 6 at </em><a href="https://www.prixdelausanne.org/" target="_blank"><em>prixdelausanne.org</em></a><em> and on </em><a href="https://www.arte.tv/en/arte-concert/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Arte Concert</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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Jan 20, 2021
Courtesy ABC
Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Alicia Mae Holloway Talks About Her Time on ABC's “The Bachelor”
Bunheads tuning in to the season premiere of ABC's "The Bachelor" on January 4 may have recognized a familiar face: Dance Theatre of Harlem's Alicia Mae Holloway, literally bourréeing out of a limousine to greet bachelor Matt James. While Holloway unfortunately didn't get a rose that night, she did thoroughly enjoy being the long-running reality franchise's first professional-ballerina contestant, as she told Pointe in a recent Zoom call.
<p><strong>Have you always been a fan of "The Bachelor"?</strong></p><p>My friends would watch it back when I was a student at the School of American Ballet. I watched one episode and was like, "What is this?! Why would people do this?!" A few years later, I started Colton Underwood's season because I was feeling really left out in my group chats. I binged the whole season and became obsessed.</p><p><strong>How did you get cast?</strong></p><p>One of my best friends (Jacqueline Bologna, of New York City Ballet) told me to apply. I wasn't sure but filled out the online application anyway—and promptly forgot about it. One day, I got a random call from L.A. The voicemail said, "Hey Alicia, this is so-and-so from ABC's 'The Bachelor,' and we're really interested in you." It all happened from there!<strong></strong></p><p><strong>During the audition process, did you emphasize your career and identity as a ballerina?</strong></p><p>Absolutely.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUwNTU5Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MjU0ODMwMX0.jGySkrMM7mC3vymgfM1-SXTLNRvk0bLJmJHgxipF9wQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="ffb7d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="876f53f09fda81a19d53494f719a0279" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="In New York's Times Square, an African American ballerina in a black long-sleeved shirt and white tutu performs a large jet\u00e9 with her left leg bent and nearly kicking her head." data-width="3276" data-height="3767" />
Alicia Mae Holloway
Renee Choi, Courtesy Holloway
<p><strong>Did you have any misgivings about going on the show, like whether the ballet world would view you differently?</strong></p><p>That was at the forefront of my mind throughout this whole process. I'd read articles about people who lost their jobs and couldn't find another one after coming off the show. That was my main concern, because my career has always been first and is always going to be first. But I felt in my heart that this was something I really wanted to do. I decided that if people don't want to work with me because I did something I wanted to do, that's on them and they're missing out on me.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Were you concerned about taking time off from Dance Theatre of Harlem?</strong></p><p>At DTH we tour 16 to 18 weeks out of the year. Obviously, we can't do that now due to COVID-19, so we've been doing virtual classes and workshops. The company got to go to Kaatsbaan in the fall, which looked amazing—I obviously was not there. Basically, I realized that now was the time to go on "The Bachelor" if I was ever going to do it. We just got back to work in the studio last week, so I think the timing all happened perfectly.</p>
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<p><strong>Did you feel any kind of pressure to represent ballerinas—and ballerinas of color—on national television?</strong></p><p>Arthur Mitchell, who founded DTH, said something once that stuck with me: "Cinderella doesn't walk into the ball. She arrives." What that says to me is, you have to present yourself in the best way possible all the time. You always have to be the best version of yourself and present yourself with the most class and integrity. I do want to be a role model and uphold my reputation, because I never had a professional ballerina who looked like me to look up to when I was young.</p><p><strong>How did you plan to keep up your technique and stamina while on the show?</strong></p><p>Before I left, I made a promise to myself and to my boss that I'd give myself daily ballet class. I wrote down at-home workouts and my favorite pointe exercises, and I brought two pairs of pointe shoes: one newer and a more dead pair for building my strength with.</p>
<p><strong>You got a lot of screen time in the premiere episode (watch it <a href="https://abc.com/shows/the-bachelor/episode-guide/season-25/01-week-1" target="_blank">here</a>), prepping your pointe shoes and dancing around the resort.</strong></p><p>Yeah, I was shocked by how much they ended up showing! I just wanted to showcase my real daily life as a dancer.</p><p><strong>Did you pre-choreograph that (amazing) exit from the limo?</strong></p><p>It literally came to me in the moment. At first I thought I might do a grand jeté, but immediately realized the dress was not made for it!</p><p><strong>How did the other women react when they learned you're a ballet dancer?</strong></p><p>Honestly, they were so kind. Everybody went, "Oh, my gosh, I've never met a real-life ballerina!" There weren't any ignorant or awkward questions. It was validating to get such a positive response.</p>
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<p><strong>Understandably, there were a few tears in your interview after the rose ceremony. What was going through your mind when you realized your "Bachelor" journey was over?</strong></p><p>There were a lot of emotions. To viewers, the night seems short, but it is <em>long</em>—and I'm an emotional person. What got me through was reminding myself that everything happens for a reason. I was very upset that I didn't get to speak to Matt because we have things in common. He went to Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, I went to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. He lives in New York, I live in New York. He has a white mom and a Black dad, I have a white mom and a Black dad. I was obviously sad when I left, but I do feel like Mrs. James could be in that amazing, intelligent, badass group of women. I left feeling that Matt was in good hands.</p><p><strong>Has the show changed your life at all?</strong></p><p>My Instagram following went up, and I've gotten more offers to do photo shoots and stuff like that. I shot my first music video in December. The reaction from the dance world has honestly been nothing but great. I really thought people would throw shade, but everybody has been so supportive. I've gotten a lot of messages from people who were mad I was voted off. <em>[Laughs]</em></p><p><strong>What have you been up to since the show?</strong></p><p>Life has been great overall, though I didn't get to work with DTH from the end of September until January 4. I was a little bored at first, in part because I couldn't go on social media in case people figured out I got eliminated. So I kept myself busy and created routines, because I thrive when I have a set schedule. I taught at SAB for a week back in the fall, and I taught a lot in Pennsylvania and in West Virginia, where I'm from. I'm now back in New York and ready to return to the studio with DTH.</p><p><strong>What advice do you have for other ballet dancers who are presented with an opportunity like this?</strong></p><p>If your gut is telling you to do it, go for it. Life is short! If you can make it work while keeping your dance career your number-one priority, then I would highly recommend going for an unconventional, once-in-a-lifetime chance.</p>
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Jan 20, 2021
Getty Images
Ask Amy: How Can I Make the Most of Performance Opportunities in a Pandemic?
My school is connected to a professional company that operates on a show-to-show basis. Students can audition for company performances when they're 15. My 15th birthday is in February, and I think that our directors are choosing people to participate in virtual performances based off of whether they have performed with the company before. This was supposed to be my big first year with the company, but COVID-19 has changed that. How do I make it known that I want to participate? Do you think I should wait until things are more normal? —Lila
<p>There's no question that the coronavirus pandemic has forced companies to make adjustments to their seasons and rosters. But even if your local company is only working with dancers who've performed with them before for their upcoming show, there's no harm in letting them know that you'd love to be considered. You'll be within the age requirements, plus you attend the affiliated school and have a history with the organization. Why not see if it's a possibility?</p><p>Since you are still a student, I would first speak with your teachers. Remind them that you'll be turning 15 and eligible for the company's spring performance. They can best direct you on how to convey your interest to the artistic staff, since they understand the culture and structure of the organization. For instance, they may prefer to speak to artistic staff on your behalf, or they might suggest that you email the company manager (the person who typically filters audition applications for the director). Or, they may tell you to contact a member of the company's artistic staff. An email is probably best if you don't work with the director or ballet masters frequently, but this is a better question for your teachers.</p>
<p>Once you have established what the proper channels are, think about what you want to say. Keep it honest and professional: that you've grown up dancing at the school and watching the company and would love to audition for the spring virtual performance. If you know anything about the choreographer or the work that is being performed, say what you admire about it. Acknowledge that spots might be limited because of COVID-19, and that you would be willing to be an understudy. (Understudying is an important stepping-stone: You can learn so much from being in rehearsals with the company, even virtually, and being prepared to go in for someone will make a strong impression.) You may also want to include a video link of your dancing if the director isn't familiar with it. They may or may not offer you a position, but they'll at least know how you feel and that you're serious enough to make it known.</p>
<p>And if it doesn't work out this year? Take heart—you are still young, and there will be more opportunities once the pandemic passes. If you have ambitions to dance professionally, this will be good practice for preparing cover letters for company auditions in the future.</p><p><em></em><em>Have a question? Send it to </em>Pointe<em> editor and former dancer Amy Brandt at <a href="mailto:askamy@dancemedia.com" target="_blank">askamy@dancemedia.com</a>.</em></p>
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