The Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance 2025
Following an inspiring World Ballet Day livestreamed performance by our Upper School 1st Year students, our 2nd Year students took to the stage the next day for our annual Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance.
Each year, our 2nd Year students are invited to perform a solo of their choice, prepared on their own and without any coaching, and with particular consideration to channelling expression, emotion and meaning through their performances.
The students performed on Thursday 13 November to an audience of donors, supporters and staff in the Linden Studio Theatre at Upper School. School alumna and Royal Ballet Principal Lauren Cuthbertson, who performed in and won the inaugural Lynn Seymour Award at White Lodge, and Director of The Royal Ballet, Kevin O’Hare, served as this year’s judging panel, sharing encouragement, support and guidance to our 2nd Year participants.
The 29 students performed a wide range of challenging repertoire spanning classical, neo-classical and contemporary styles. All demonstrated remarkable emotional depth, technical precision and bold artistic choices, resulting in a captivating programme.
About the Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance
The award was established in 2000 at White Lodge by the late Nina Finburgh, a celebrated and inspirational drama teacher at the School, to honour her friend and colleague, Lynn Seymour.
A School alumna and Principal dancer with The Royal Ballet, Lynn was one of our most celebrated dramatic ballerinas. She was renowned for her daring and dramatic talent which inspired innovative choreographers, notably Sir Kenneth MacMillan.
Our 2025 winners
Congratulations to our 2025 Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance winners:
1st place:
Ruben Garcia
Jerome Robbins, Fancy Free, Sailor variation no.3
Joint 2nd place:
Bella Barter
Michail Fokine, The Dying Swan
Maria Carolina Ferreira Gaspar
Yannick Lebrun, Human
Joint 3rd place:
Harry Withers
John Neumeier, Death in Venice, Tadzio solo
Minjun Suh
John Cranko, Onegin, Act II Lensky variation
Commendations:
Clovis Couillard
Alexander Alvarez Silvestre, Hollow
Krysante Bianinova
George Balanchine, Who Cares?
Miyu Araki
Yuka Oishi, Ave Maria
