The Bolshoy ballet theatre in Moscow where audiences were treated to what many ballet aficionados call 'The Oscars of the dance world'. It was the 20th anniversary of the Benois de la Danse prize -- an accolade awarded to the year's best choreographer, composer and best male and female dancer. Taking home the coveted prize for best ballerina was Romanian Alina Cojocauru. The 30-year-old Kyiv-trained ballerina was recognized for her stellar performances over the past year as principal dancer with the Royal Ballet of London.
Top honours for the best choreographer of the year was American choreographer Lar Lubovitch. The prolific Chicago native whose grandparents left Russia in between World Wars said his grandmother and grandfather would have been proud to see him standing on stage in Moscow. After the ceremony finished, the audience members were wowed by a gala show of last year's Benois de la Danse winners which included a performance by principle dancers from Hamburg's Ballet troupe Carsten Jung and Helene Bouchet.
