Royal Academy of Dance announces winners of The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition 2025

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is pleased to announce the medallists of The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition 2025 final which took place at Auditorio Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo, Brazil this evening. The Fonteyn competition is the pinnacle for young dancers trained in the RAD syllabus, with previous medallists including the likes of Claudia Dean, Leanne Benjamin, Steven McRae and Francesca Hayward.

After a week of coaching and semi-finals, the coveted Genée gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded to:

• Genée gold medal (sponsored by Freed of London): Samantha Maestre Cortez, age 18 from Brazil, taught by Aracy de Almeida Bononi and training at Lapidari Núcleo de Artes
• Silver medal: Valentina Toscani, age 18 from Brazil, taught by Simone Malta, Dora de Paula Soares, Maria Eugênia and Ana Caroline Pitanga, and training at Cia Jovem Basileu França/English National Ballet School 
• Bronze medal: Yasmin Oliveira Lopes dos Santos, age 16 from Brazil, taught by Simone Malta, Cristina Laura, Ingrid Chafick, Ana Carolina Pitanga, and training at Cia Jovem Basileu França and Rafaella Pinheiro Marion, age 15 from Brazil, taught by Liliana Testa and training at Iris Ativa-Lina Penteado.

Rafaella received the Margot Fonteyn Audience Choice Award. At the semi-finals on Friday, Samantha was announced as the Musicality Award winner and Lárah Rachel de Carvalho Bento Rodrigues won the Dancer’s Own Choreographic Award.

A week-long competition, The Fonteyn attracted 35 candidates from over 10 countries around the world, who each took part in coaching sessions by RAD’s Artistic Director Alexander Campbell, Daniela Severian and Lars van Cauwenbergh, and semi-finals judged by a panel comprising Paloma Herrera and Julio Bocca. For the final, finalists performed before a panel comprising Herrera and Bocca, with Ana Botafogo and Mayara Magri joining them. All classical repertoire performances were accompanied by live piano music, played by pianists Silvina Rocco and Joaquin Panisse. Maria Inês Vasconcellos joined Rocco and Panisse to play the piano during The Fonteyn coaching week.

"It has been truly wonderful holding this year’s Fonteyn competition in São Paulo, Brazil, our first time in Latin America. Congratulations to The Fonteyn medallists and to all of the candidates for demonstrating the excellence and joy that lies at the heart of the Royal Academy of Dance. On behalf of the RAD, I send my warmest thanks to The Fonteyn 2025 esteemed judging panel and faculty. Thank you for sharing your expertise, and for supporting and inspiring all the candidates. I pay tribute to all RAD teachers around the world for all you do to bring out such talent. I would also like to thank our Brazilian colleagues and team, led by our national director Maria do Carmo de Kenny, for working with us to put on a spectacular event that has brought communities from across the world together and showcased the power of dance". - Elizabeth Honer, Chief Executive of the RAD. 

“Congratulations to all The Fonteyn 2025 medallists and candidates. It’s been wonderful to work with dancers from around the world, and to come together to share in the joy and excellence of dance. Watching all the candidates develop themselves, as dancers and as people, throughout the week has been very special. It has been inspiring to be in their company, and I hope that they have made memories and friendships to be treasured for a lifetime."- Alexander Campbell, Artistic Director of the RAD.

At the final, finalists performed Classical Repertoire Variations and their ‘Dancer’s Own’, a choreographed solo created by themselves, their teacher, or a peer, to a piece of music of their choice. Finalists also performed newly choreographed commissioned variations created by The Fonteyn 2025 commissioned choreographer, Mayara Magri. Finalists performed one of two variations, titled ‘Samba Alone’ and ‘Frivolity’ to music by Andre Mehmari. These variations premiered at The Fonteyn final and marked Magri’s debut as a choreographer.

As well as The Fonteyn finalists taking to the stage, audiences were treated to two guest performances: Dalal Achcar Ballet Company dancers Gabriela Sisto and Fernando Mendonça performed ‘Melodia Sentimental’ from Floresta Amazônica, set to music by Heitor Villa-Lobos. Sao Paulo Dance Company dancers Carolina Pegurelli and Yoshi Suzuki performed the ‘White Swan Pas De Deux’ from Act II of Swan Lake, from Mario's Galizzi restaging under the direction of Ines Bogéa. 

The Fonteyn (previously known as The Genée) is one of the oldest and most prestigious ballet competitions in the world, representing the pinnacle of achievement for young dancers trained in the RAD syllabus. Beginning in 1931, the competition has toured the globe and is dedicated to promoting dance, providing educational experiences and recognising excellence in young ballet dancers internationally. 

A launchpad for a professional career, The Fonteyn offers aspiring dancers the unique opportunity to work with world-renowned choreographers and professionals, as well as the chance to perform on an international stage. More than a dance competition, all candidates taking part in this year’s The Fonteyn have been considered for a variety of tuition scholarship opportunities from renowned dance schools across the globe. Scholarships will be awarded in due course.