A prestigious ballet competition that showcases many of the world's best young dancers is underway in Toronto.
It's the first time the Genée International Ballet Competition has taken place in Canada and 10 young Canadians, all under age 19, are participating.
In the coming week, the competition will become increasingly intense until Aug. 23, when a gold medal winner gets $11,000 and the potential to leap onto the world stage.
"The winners are going to feel very special," says Lynn Wallis, artistic director of London's Royal Academy of Dance, which runs the prestigious competition.
"We've had in the past artistic directors of companies in the audience … who offered contracts to the competitors straight after the competition," she told CBC News.
Many internationally renowned dancers have been participants in the 80-year-old competition, including National Ballet principal dancer Chan Hon Goh, who competed in the Genée in 1988.
The Royal Academy holds the event annually, pulling 50 teenaged dancers from Brazil, Australia, Europe, the U.K. and London.
The competition is held on alternate years in London, but has been staged around the world since 2002, when it was held in Australia. It has also been held in Hong Kong and Athens.
Ottawa sisters Claire and Erin Ellis are both rivals and allies in the hunt for gold at the Genée, named for Royal Academy founder Adeline Genée.
"It's very important to have a good clean dance," said Claire Ellis, who qualified for the competition by passing her exams in classical ballet with distinction.
"I will be happiest to get it the way I want to perform, just to be happy with how I dance and how Erin dances. We don't want any regrets."
Leading teachers and internationally renowned choreographers and artistic directors come to coach and choreograph the dancers throughout the week, followed by the judging.
The 2008 jury includes RAD president and former Royal Ballet prima ballerina Antoinette Sibley, Karen Kain, Rex Harrington and Joffrey Ballet artistic director Ashley Wheater.
The competition finale next Saturday in Toronto is open to the public.
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