Olivia Daugherty Wasn’t A Finalist, But Still Came Out A Winner At Prix de Lausanne

Stephanie Wolf/CPR News

Olivia Daugherty, of Falcon, Colorado, didn’t make it into the finals of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne ballet competition in Switzerland last week — but she didn’t walk away empty handed either.

The 15-year-old ballet dancer’s teacher, Mark Carlson, said she received scholarship offers from the Norwegian National Ballet School, Central School of Ballet in London and North Carolina School of the Arts. Carlson, who co-directs the International Ballet School in Littleton, said the Palucca University of Dance in Dresden, Germany also expressed interest in Daugherty for the 2020-21 training year.

Daugherty was one of 80 candidates, ages 15 - 18, from around the world to participate in the 47th annual event. She said she gained invaluable experience from the competition, including learning how to dance on a raked stage, which inclines slightly upward away from the audience.

She said she also “enjoyed learning from such talented teachers and taking class with such high-level dancers. I am so grateful for all the support I was given from my coaches, family, friends and the many people that I met at the competition.”

Despite the offers, Daugherty will continue to train with Carlson at the Littleton ballet school, at least for another year.

Carlson said he’s “extremely proud” of Olivia and her performance at the international ballet competition. This was his third time at the Prix de Lausanne and the fourth student of his to compete in the event.

Earlier: Olivia Daugherty Is About To Test Her Ballet Skill Against The Best In The World