"We could have danced all night": the world of ballet normally conjures up rather grand and somewhat romantic images of the great dance companies of Moscow, Paris, New York and London. Well, Switzerland also has an important part to play, especially in the Swiss-French city of Lausanne.

The Prix de Lausanne has been bringing together the cream of the world's dance talent for more than 30 years and also attracting patrons from the world's leading ballet schools, as well as the likes of Japan's Prince Takamado and the late Princess Grace of Monaco.

The next competition will be held in the last week of January and, once again, you'll be able to watch this keenly fought competition on Swiss TV and a number of other international networks.

Among the panel of judges, there will be Irina Sitnikova, professor at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St Petersburg and Wim Broeckx, director of the Royal Conservatory in the Hague, and a former finalist at the Prix de Lausanne in 1980.

Unique Competition

The general secretary of the Prix de Lausanne, Patricia Leroy, told Swiss News that the competition remains unique, even though we have moved on more than 30 years from its founding, because she believes it still manages to identify and reward potential rather than achievement.

"It still opens the door to the world's leading ballet schools and companies, and on top of this the competition has constantly evolved, through 30 years' of experience, to meet the needs of the dance community," she explained. "All this makes it distinctive from other ballet competitions and accounts for its continuous success over the past 32 years."

The competition has certainly evolved over the past three decades: every part of it has been designed to better identify future potential and to educate talented artists through scholarships and apprenticeships, which allow entry into the professional community of dance at a high level. Also contemporary, dance now fully belongs to the competition, which was mainly focussed on classical ballet in the beginning.

Informal Networking Forum

Patricia Leroy was also keen to point out that the week long activities are not just about the winners who take up those prestigious places at international ballet schools and top notch dance companies. She explained that the Prix also focuses on education, which is designed to make it an enriching week for all participants ant not just for the winners.

"We offer individual feedback for each non-selected candidate from a member of the jury, and there's a showcase ballet class for non-selected candidates on the day of the semi-finals," noted Leroy. "This is watched by directors of international schools and companies."

This informal 'Networking Forum' gives dancers who are not performing in the final of the Prix de Lausanne a chance to be seen by those all-important figures of potential influence on their future careers.

Last year's competition involved 119 dancers from 23 countries and this year's event is expected to involve a similar number of young people. However, this year's competition will see an increase in the amount of coaching time offered to participants. Also, the qualifying rounds and the quarterfinals, usually held behind closed doors, will now he open to the public.

Competitors and Spectators

Attracting nearly 2,000 spectators to the live event, the competition's international prowess is underscored by the prestigious list of prizes on offer. These include one year's free tuition plus CHF16,000 for living expenses at a host of ballet schools, including the likes of the Vienna Opera Ballet School, the Royal Ballet in London and the School of American Ballet in New York.

The competitors come from a very wide range of dance schools, from small provincial schools to highly reputed national schools. To take part, their school covers the costs, but most of them have to ask their family to support these costs. In some cases, there are candidates whose family cannot afford the costs, but the organisers have promised that there will be a change in the competition format in 2005 to solve this problem.

The Winners

"Prize winners often say that the Prix improved their lives," said Leroy. "And that the Prix was the only way to open certain doors to fulfil their dreams, through entering a particular school or company."

Previous winners have included Jean-Christophe Maillot, now director of the Ballet de Monte Carlo and Carlos Acosta a principal with the Royal Ballet in London. However, even if the dancers don't win one of the prizes the competition week remains a networking opportunity, which allows students, teachers and directors to meet and exchange views.

This is probably the key to the Prix's success, offering something , for all participants. Also you have to recognise the competition's flexibility adapting to the changing world of dance through the past three decades. As long as things carry on in this fashion you can be sure that the Prix will remain an important component in the evolution of the world of dance, keeping Lausanne and Switzerland on the dance map. For more info please visit: www.prixddausanne.org