Only American to place
Houston Ballet student Harper Watters wins award at Prix du Lausanne competition
Houston Ballet's track record of excellence at the Prix du Lausanne continues as Harper Watters snagged sixth place and the much coveted Contemporary Dance Prize for his dancing in Cathy Marston’s Libera Me. Watters, a 19-year-old student at the Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy, is the sole American to place in the prestigious international ballet competition for young dancers
Houston Ballet student Liana Carpio, 16, also made the finals, which were live streamed Sunday from Switzerland.
Winning or placing the competition its a career changer for young students. Scouts from major ballet companies all over the world congregate in Lausanne to award scholarships. Last year, former Houston Ballet student Christian-Emanuel Amuchastegui won first place, Aaron Sharratt placed fifth and Xiang Liao made the finals. Both Sharratt and Liao are now Houston Ballet apprentices.
Born in Atlanta, Watters grew up in Dover, New Hampshire. He trained at Portsmouth School of Ballet and Walnut Hill School before joining Houston Ballet II in 2009. He has danced principal and soloist roles in Stanton Welch's Finger Prints, Blue, and Long and Winding Road.
You can watch Watters in action next in Houston Ballet II's performance in Dance Month Saturday at the Jewish Community Center and in Welch's Marie, opening Feb. 24 at the Wortham Center.