PBT Student to Compete in Switzerland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                      
CONTACT:  Meghan McNamara
412-454-9117
mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org  

                           
PBT School Student Selected to Compete in Switzerland’s Prix de Lausanne
Morris is One of Only 6 U.S. Dancers to Receive Invitation to International Ballet Competition

PITTSBURGH, PA (January 2013) – This month, PBT School student Elenora Morris, 17, joins a select number of candidates from around the world, including only five other females from the United States, to compete in Switzerland’s 41st Annual Prix de Lausanne international ballet competition Jan. 27, to Feb. 2, 2013.

Founded in 1973 to discover, promote and support the world’s finest young talents, the Prix de Lausanne is an international competition and educational workshop for young pre-professional dancers, ages 15 to 18, of all nationalities. This year, from a total of 250 dancers who auditioned by video, 81 candidates (41 females and 40 males) representing 20 different nationalities, were selected to participate in the competition in Lausanne from Jan. 27, to Feb. 2, 2013. In addition to the 81 candidates chosen through video auditions, an additional three candidates were selected in the pre-selection session at Danza America in Argentina.

“Elenora has grown up training with PBT School, and it is very exciting to see her hard work and dedication gain her a place among a very select group of young dancers from around the world,” said PBT School Director Marjorie Grundvig. “We are extremely proud to have her represent Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School to the international ballet community.”

Morris started her dance education at the age of eight and has trained exclusively with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, including seven years under the direction of School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall. Since beginning in Level I of the Student Division, Morris now trains as a full-time high school student in PBT School’s Pre-Professional Division. In addition to PBT School performances, Morris has had the opportunity to perform onstage with the PBT company in various season productions, including Coppélia and Terrence S. Orr’s The Nutcracker.

Morris will be the third female PBT School student to compete in the prestigious competition in the last two years, following PBT School Pre-Professional student Aviana Adams and former student Anwen David, who competed in the 2012 Prix de Lausanne.

Throughout the five-day selection process in Lausanne, candidates participate in daily classical and contemporary ballet classes with leading dance professionals and perform a classical and contemporary variation for the Prix’s nine-member judging panel. At the close of the selection period, a select number of candidates will receive invitations to compete in the finals on Feb. 3.

Through scholarships, exposure to the world’s leading dance personalities, schools and companies, the Prix de Lausanne was created to discover the best young talents in the world and open the doors of the most prestigious dance schools and companies to help them realize their potential and become high-level professional dancers. The Prix has launched the careers of some of ballet’s leading performers, such as Carlos Acosta, Julie Kent, Darcey Bussell and Christopher Wheeldon. For more information, please visitwww.prixdelausanne.org.

Media Note: Photos are available upon request. For interviews or photos, please contact Meghan McNamara, marketing coordinator, at 412-454-9117 or mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org.

About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School
 Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School is the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and has an enrollment of more than 900 students, including the Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Open Divisions. The Children’s Division gives young students an introduction to ballet and prepares them for advancement to the Student Division. Dancers in the Student Division work to refine their technique and dancers in the Pre- Professional Program prepare for professional ballet careers. Many students perform in an annual School Spring Performance at the Byham Theater, and some students are chosen by Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr to perform with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre at the Benedum Center.
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