Max Barker at the 2020 Prix de Lausanne
Congratulations to ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School student Max Barker, who was the only American male finalist of the prestigious 2020 Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition!
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2020 Prix de Lausanne
Max Barker
Max Barker joined the ABT JKO School in 2009 under the Artistic Direction of Franco De Vita as a Primary A student in our Children’s Division. He progressed through Primary, Level 1A, 1B, 2 & 3 before graduating into the Pre-Professional Division, where he is now a student in Upper-2 under the Artistic Direction of Cynthia Harvey. Max has regularly attended the ABT Summer Intensive during his training with the ABT JKO School, has participated in the JKO School spring performances, and has performed as a supernumerary during both the Fall and Spring seasons with the ABT main Company!
Prix de Lausanne
The Prix de Lausanne is an international ballet competition open to young dancers of all nationalities aged 15 to 18 who are not yet professionals. The young dancers who are selected from around the world to participate are judged throughout the week through classes and individually on stage. The mission of the Prix is to reveal the potential of exceptionally talented young dancers from around the globe by having them perform before a jury of world-renowned dance personalities; to open the doors to the world’s finest schools and companies for them; to promote their scholastic education; and to preserve their health by applying a strict health policy.
The ABT JKO School is an official Partner School, the ABT Studio Company is an official Partner Company. Fun Fact: ABT Ballet Mistress Nancy Raffa was the first American to win the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne in 1980!
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The ABT JKO School extends their gratitude to all of the past and present faculty who have trained Max along the way, including Cynthia Harvey, Franco De Vita, Kate Lydon, Harriet Clark, Ethan Stiefel, Sascha Radetsky, Fabrice Herrault, Petrusjka Broholm, Mikhail Ilyin, Flavio Salazar, Adrienne Hurd, Elizabeth Ferrell, Robert La Fosse, Richard Toda, Melissa Allen Bowman, Richard Bowman, Sonja Kostich, Carmela Gallace and Marianne dello Joio.
