Julian Mackay wins Harlequin Scholarship at Prix de Lausanne

Julian Mackay, a seventeen-year-old American dancer from Montana, is the proud winner of the 2015 Harlequin Floors Scholarship awarded at the recent Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland. 

Harlequin Floors supports emerging young talent in dance and has chosen to deliver this support through the Harlequin Scholarship award, which is now in its third year. Patrick Lesage on behalf of Harlequin Floors the company that funds the scholarship explained, “Supporting young talented dancers and looking towards the future of dance is a cherished value of Harlequin Floors. In recognition of the dance community and in memory of our friends and founders of Prix de Lausanne, Elvire and Philippe Braunschweig, we want to continue to strengthen the privileged links between both institutions and our support to the Prix de Lausanne, by once again giving this scholarship.” Harlequin was delighted to continue its long-standing association with the Prix de Lausanne through a package of sponsorship. In addition to the scholarship, a package that also included a Harlequin Liberty sprung dance floor and new for 2015, live video streaming from the event via Prix de Lausanne social networks and YouTube channel. This replaced the video blog of previous years, also sponsored by Harlequin Floors. 

Switzerland may seem a long way from Montana, USA and perhaps an even further distance to an international career in ballet. But that is the journey Julian is on course to achieve. Julian was already flying high during his last year at the Bolshoi Academy before his graduation in June, having already won medals last summer at Sochi and Istanbul and being awarded the Kelvin Coe Scholarship from the En Avant Foundation. He also danced Siegfried for the Russian State Ballet on tour. 

But winning at Lausanne is special. Julian stood up well under pressure, buoyed up by his Bolshoi technique, and became one of the 2015 winners. His Scholarship, financed by Harlequin Floors, will allow him to be an apprentice at one of the competition’s partner companies – including the ABT Studio Company, Béjart Ballet and the English National Ballet – and he is free to choose where he would like to go. Asked for his reaction, Julian said, “It was such a shock to be a Prix de Lausanne Prize Winner. It took me a while to realize what had happened and what I had achieved. The next step is to choose which company I would like to apprentice with for next year.”