Prix de Lausanne Confirms New Executive and Artistic Director

Kathryn Bradney has been elected unanimously as full-time Executive and Artistic Director of the Prix de Lausanne, a prestigious, annual international competition for young dancers aged 15 to 18. 

 In announcing her election, President of the Board of Directors Stephane Lagonico said, "We are delighted to appoint Kathryn Bradney and are very happy that we will have her skills, perception and energy to lead this outstanding and much-loved competition into its 48th year of existence. We have every confidence that her vision and leadership will ensure a vibrant future for the Prix."

Bradney was elected after successfully completing a four-month period ad interim. She is a former Principal Dancer and ballet master from the Béjart Ballet Lausanne and co-founder, with her husband Igor Piovano, of the Igokat Dance Academy. For more than 11 years Bradney has been a Prix de Lausanne media producer, production manager and a member of the competition's preselection jury.

"I'm very pleased and grateful to accept the task of leading this wonderful and impressive institution that is the Prix de Lausanne," said Bradney. "My work for preparing the next competition in February 2019 has been thrilling and I am very inspired to build on the Prix de Lausanne's impressive legacy and to bring growth, development and expansion to the bright future of the Prix de Lausanne. In doing this, I am very fortunate to be able to count on outstanding existing resources, with a strong operational team and a dedicated Board of Directors."

During her ad interim period, Bradney's attention has been on organizing the Prix de Lausanne 2019, the new Swiss Workshop, and the preselections in Brazil, organized in September 2018, and on new future projects. Her vision is to maintain the Prix de Lausanne's high standards in artistry, ethics and care for its participants, while enhancing the relationships with partner schools and companies.

The Prix de Lausanne is associated with more than 70 of the world's most prestigious dance schools and companies, such as the Royal Ballet in London, the Hamburg Ballet School (John Neumeier), the Ballet Nacional Sodre in Montevideo, the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, the Hong Kong Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet School and the Australian Ballet.