At just 15 years old, Millán de Benito (Logroño, 2007) won first prize at the 50th Prix de Lausanne at the beginning of February, one of the most important international ballet competitions in the world in which he has also received the Audience Award. The La Rioja dancer has only two courses focused entirely on the study of classical dance. “Participating has given me a huge confidence boost for my career on the international scene,” he says with a leisurely tone, of a young man who shows special maturity. «There are dancers with a high level, I cannot relax, but I have also verified that I am at their level and it has motivated me a lot to continue working hard. In addition, the visibility that it has given me is incredible, to make myself known abroad and to talk about dance in Spain, where we have a lot of talent”.
The Lausanne award consists of a scholarship to join the center of your choice and it was in these days of April that you have already made your decision. “I’m going to the High School of the Royal Ballet in London and I’ll start in September”, she confesses with joy about her destiny, a whole change of life to be able to premiere one day at the Covent Garden theater as the ballet star that is already emerging . The desired step, of course, will be to be part of the famous company that treasures the classics.
The Swiss competition, founded in 1973, has spent half a century discovering and promoting young classical ballet talents.
Until then, she continues her six hours of daily classes at the ‘Mariemma’ Royal Professional Dance Conservatory, a prestigious public school in the Madrid neighborhood of Carabanchel, which was once on the fifth floor of the Teatro Real. Her main teacher is Juan Polo, who specializes in training male dancers and who has prepared her for the contest in recent months. “He is an incredible teacher,” continues De Benito in his appointment with La Lectura. “This year, in addition, I am super happy with the teammates, they have a high level.” One of them, Arturo Lizana, who also competed in Lausanne under the supervision of Polo, reached the semifinal and for this reason his native Granada has named him Honorary Ambassador of the City.
With the young company of the Conservatory, Larreal, they both now perform in the south of Madrid. It will be from April 26 to 28 at the Theater of the Paco Rabal Cultural Center. Later, from April 29 to May 2, Millán de Benito will dance in the Vigo Porté competition the two titles that he offered in the Prix de Lausanne, Llamas de París and Rain. He will repeat them at the Lucía Lacarra Gala, in San Sebastián, on May 27, and at the Canfranc Fest event, on June 17.
These scenarios are added to the hundreds of hours that he has already been on stage since he was very young and after having started studying dance when he was only four years old. Because, when he was twelve, he played Billy Elliot in the musical created in Madrid based on the famous Stephen Daldry film.
It was in 2019 when he became that child who wants to be a dancer despite the impediments and ends up becoming a ballet star. «I will never forget the date of my premiere, April 5. After a year and a half in the production company’s academy to train us, I did eighty-five roles as Billy », he confirms. “I was very lucky, since other colleagues could not premiere because the pandemic and confinement arrived.”
“After playing Billy, I had to decide: either continue with musical theater or focus on classical dance and enter a conservatory, since it requires many hours of dedication,” confesses De Benito. “Ballet is my passion and now I’m focused on it. Besides, I could always go back to musicals after my career as a dancer.”
With this virtuoso classic solo he has won over the Lausanne jury. And who are your ballet references? All, apparently, Spanish: “Ángel Corella, Joaquín de Luz, José Carlos Martínez… They have always tried, and are succeeding, to dignify dance in our country. And as a female figure, Tamara Rojo seems incredible to me”.
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