February 1, 2023
American Ballet Theatre’s Aleisha Walker Wins Young Creation Award at 2023 Prix De Lausanne 50th Anniversary Competition
Madison Brown and Aleisha Walker at the 2023 Prix de Lausanne. Photo: Sascha Radetsky.NEW YORK, NY – American Ballet Theatre is proud to announce that ABT apprentice Aleisha Walker won a coveted Young Creation Award at the 2023 Prix de Lausanne 50th Anniversary Competition in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Walker’s solo Do You Care?, set to “Nocturnal Waltz” by Johannes Bornlof and performed by ABT Studio Company member Madison Brown, was one of five worldwide finalists that competed on February 1 during the Young Creation Award competition, and one of two winners named by the Prix de Lausanne Jury.
Of Walker and Brown’s participation, ABT Studio Company Artistic Director Sascha Radetsky said, “Maddie beautifully brought Aleisha’s rich imagination to life, and we could not be more proud. Thank you to the Prix de Lausanne for honoring our remarkable young artists with this recognition!”
In its third year, the Young Creation Award aims to discover young, new choreographers – ages 14-21 – and offer a unique experience at the Prix de Lausanne to be recognized by peers and leading ballet companies around the world. The competition encourages “the imagination and creativity of young dancers to become aware of the art and technique of choreography.”
As one of two winners, Walker’s Do You Care? will be performed once more by Brown during the Prix de Lausanne Finals on Saturday, February 4. This performance will be livestreamed on ARTE Concert and on the Prix’s social media channels, with replays of the whole competition found on YouTube.
Choreographer and Young Creation Award winner Aleisha Walker, ABT Studio Company member Madison Brown, and ABT Studio Company Artistic Director Sascha Radetsky will all be available for interviews following their return from Lausanne.
ABOUT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
American Ballet Theatre is one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Revered as a national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, preserve, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, enchanting audiences for eight decades in 50 U.S. states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT’s repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and acclaimed contemporary masterpieces. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT was designated America’s National Ballet Company®.