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DAY IN THE LIFE OF DANCE: Karyn Bradney on the Evolution of the Prestigious Prix de Lausanne and the Documentary "Les Prix"
By Stacey Menchel Kussell
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Published on January 24, 2026
Edwaard Liang AD of The Washington Ballet & Student*
The Prix de Lausanne runs from February 1 - 8 at the Théâtre de Beaulieu in Lausanne
*header photo taken by Jonathon Thorpe.
Kathryn Bradney oversees the Prix de Lausanne, one of the world’s most prestigious dance competitions. Artistic and executive director since 2018, she has thrived leading an organization that has proven vital to the development of young ballet dancers.
“For me, it is really about a love of dance and a true passion to keep the art form healthy and alive,” said Bradney during a meeting last fall at New York’s Empire Hotel. Bradney, and her team were in Manhattan to present the film Le Prix, a documentary celebrating 50 years of the competition.
The screening took place on October 11th at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and featured a post-screening discussion with Bradney; Stella Abrera, a former principal dancer of American Ballet Theatre (ABT); and with four of the Prix de Lausanne’s notable alumni including New York City Ballet’s dancer Chun Wai Chan, and ABT’s Paloma Livellara, Younjae Park, and Natalie Steele.
A beautiful film and moving portrait, Le Prix follows four dancers – Lucía Abril Marcucci and Romina Garcia-Vásquez from Buenos Aires and Córdoba, Argentina; Julien Fargeon from Marseille, France; and Darrion Sellman, an American dancer from the Princess Grace Academy in Monaco – on their journey preparing for and competing at the week-long event in Vaud, Switzerland.
The documentary, directed by Alain Wirth and Nuria Manzur, transports the viewer into the action, channeling the anxiety, excitement, and moments of loss experienced by these dancers during this whirlwind week of ballet. Stunning footage of classes, rehearsals, and performances intermix seamlessly with interviews from past awardees and master teachers such as Friedemann Vogel, Luca Masala, and Armando Braswell.
The film effectively opens a window into the detailed organization of the competition and its evolution over the last five decades. Started in 1973 by Swiss watchmaker Philippe Braunschweig and his wife Elvire, the competition’s original mission was to create a launch pad for young dancers, ages 15-18, to broaden their professional horizons in the world of ballet. The founders sought to find new talent and give opportunities to dancers from smaller schools who might not have a chance to be seen by international companies.
Over the last twenty years, the competition has deepened its aims developing relationships with over 40 partner dance companies including American Ballet Theatre Studio Company and the Royal Ballet, and over 30 professional training schools including Accademia Teatro la Scala and the Ailey School.
All those participating, regardless of their status in the competition, are provided networking forums and extensive coaching. Most impressively, the Prix has gained significant funding support for scholarships and reported that in 2025, one fourth of the participants received full funding and travel expenses to compete in the event.
Bradney was excited to be back in New York for the screening, as the city is also where she began her career, training with David Howard and dancing with the New York City Opera Company before joining Béjart Ballet in 1986. She smiled warmly recounting the details of her long career performing with legendary choreographer Maurice Béjart. She danced with the Swiss-based company for decades and also worked as a teacher and ballet master for the troupe until 2005. She then created her own dance company, Igokat, with her husband Igor Piovano.
Kathryn Bradney, Artistic & Executive Director of the Prix de Lausanne , Performing in Maurice Béjart" Bolero" with Béjart Ballet Lausanne; Photo: Courtesy of Director
Since becoming director of the Prix, she has pushed for a holistic approach to the competition and helped launch the Young Creation Award in 2021. Realizing the importance of nourishing the next generation of choreographic talent, the award gives a group of young creators the opportunity to set work on their peers. In addition, as part of 2026 program, Edwaard Liang, a former Prix de Lausanne prizewinner and the current director of the Washington Ballet, will run a special choreography workshop with a cast of 27 young dancers selected from the Prix’s partner schools program.
“The Prix isn’t just a competition; it is a place to grow and develop as an artist,” said Bradney, and looking to the future she is optimistic. “The field is evolving, and we want to strengthen it. We want to create as many opportunities as possible for this next generation of talent.”
Bradney expressed that the Prix 2026, which runs from February 1 - 8 at the Théâtre de Beaulieu in Lausanne, will be a particularly inspiring year. Expanding its wide reach, the competition will host dancers from 18 different countries including the first ever participant from Colombia.
The Prix will also feature some unique honors in 2026. “The competitors have a choice of which variation to perform in the Prix, and several have decided to perform a piece in honor of Louise Deleur,” said Bradney. Deleur is a revered Australian choreographer who passed away in 2023. Another crowd-pleasing addition will be the appearance of Sylvie Guillem, who will attend the Prix to receive a lifetime achievement award during the final ceremonies.
