From Jan. 28 to Feb. 4, 2024, 88 young dancers from all over the world between the ages of 15 and 18, will compete at the 52nd annual Prix de Lausanne, the prestigious Swedish ballet competition. Among them are three students from Elite Classical Coaching in Frisco.
Eighteen-year-old Sebastian Bondar and 16-year-old Max Berg are among the 7 male American students who passed the selection process for the competition.
"For dancers that are invited and accepted to the competition, it's really their way out into the professional world," Bondar told NBCDFW. "It's their way to get significantly more exposure to some of the world's top ballet companies."
Isabella Keesee, a 14-year-old student at the academy, is one of the 10 female American dancers selected for the competition.
“Your Elite Classical Coaching family could not be more proud of you or happier for you!” reads an official statement by the academy. “You are all some of the most deserving young dancers we know and we hope you have the time of your life as you prepare for and experience this journey!”
Elite Classical Coaching has several accomplished pre-professional dancers. In 2023, at only 12 years old, Morgan Ligon won YAGP’s Hope Award, reserved for dancers who exceed all others in both classical ballet and contemporary dance within their age division.
This is the third time Elite Classical Coaching students have participated in the Swedish competition. In 2019, the first time the academy had students selected, Ava Arbuckle won the competition. Now, with three students participating in one of the most prestigious international competitions, the academy is cementing its reputation for mentoring and coaching competitive dancers.
The three selected dancers will travel to Lausanne, Switzerland, to compete for the chance to make it to the top 20 dancers in the Rising Stars performance on Feb. 4, 2024.
"I think I do have what it takes," Bondar said. "If I really focus and push myself to my limit, then I can achieve that, without a doubt."
