Cédric Ygnace, a principal with the Dutch National Ballet, has won the annual ‘Zwaan’ award for the most impressive dance achievement, for his role in The Prodigal Son. “Not only his amazing technique, but also a great artistic feeling for the role produced an exceptional interpretation”, was the jury’s opinion. He was presented with the prestigious dance award on Saturday in Theater aan het Vrijthof in Maastricht, at the Dutch Dance Gala.
The Prodigal Son, choreographed by George Balanchine, was part of the programme 100 years Les Ballets Russes presented by the Dutch National Ballet in June 2009.
This year’s recipient of the Gouden Zwaan award was the Dutch dancer Shirley Esseboom. The Gouden Zwaan, awarded for an impressive dance career, is presented every so often to a dancer or choreographer by the dance jury of the Dutch Association of Theatres and Concert Halls. The last award was presented in 2007. Esseboom (The Hague, 1975) has danced with Nederlands Dans Theater for fifteen years, where she has made her mark in a great variety of roles in works by Jirí Kylián, Lightfoot León and Hans van Manen, among others.
The Zwaan for the best dance production went to Gods and Dogs, performed by Nederlands Dans Theater II and choreographed by Jirí Kylián.
The Dutch Dance Gala was part of the Dutch Dance Days festival, which was held in Maastricht from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October.
