Benois de la Danse-2013

This Ballet Prize was established in Moscow by the International Dance Association, now the International Dance Union, and was presented to the public on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre on April 29, 1992 for the first time. President of the Union, the famous choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, is an artistic director of this project and a President of Jury. The international jury, relieving annually and including the most authoritative personalities of the world choreography — heads of the most important dance companies, stars of the world ballet, known pedagogues – presents nominees during the year and determines the betters. The award ceremony is devoted to the International Day of Dance — April 29 — announced by UNESCO. Winners of the Prize are announced in the annually BENOIS de la DANSE — GALA with participation of laureates and diplomaХs recipients of this Prize. The statuette BENOIS DE LA DANSE is created by a French sculptor Igor USTINOV who represents the famous artistic family BENOIS. Laureates of Benois de la Danse-2013:

Life Achievement:
John Neumeier

Choreographers:
Hans van Manen Variations for Two Couples, B. Britten, E. Rautavaara, S. Kovács Tickmayer, A. Piazolla, 
Dutch National Ballet;

Christopher Wheeldon 
Cinderella, S. Prokofiev,
Dutch National Ballet;

Ballerina:
Olga Smirnova
Nikia in La Bayadère, L. Minkus/M. Petipa, version by Y. Grigorovich;
Aspicia in Pharaoh's Daughter, C. Pugni/P. Lacotte after M. Petipa;
Anastasia in Ivan the Terrible, S. Prokofiev/Y. Grigorovich,
Bolshoi Theatre;

Dancers:
Alban Lendorf
Armand Duval in The Lady of Camellias, F. Chopin/J. Neumeier, 
Royal Danish Ballet;

Vadim Muntagirov
Prince in Sleeping Beauty, P. Tchaikovsky/K. MacMillan,
English National Ballet.