Dancer and former Queensland Ballet Artistic Director Li Cunxin will be honoured with the Prix de Lausanne’s Lifetime Achievement Award during its 2025 competition.

The ceremony will take place during the Finals on Saturday, 8 February 2025, and will be live-streamed globally.

The award recognises an individual’s exceptional contribution to the world of dance.

Li Cunxin sits on a stool under a spotlight, with dark brick walls behind him.

Li Cunxin. Photo © Queensland Ballet

Born in 1961 in China, Li Cunxin life story is a remarkable one, captured in his autobiography Mao’s Last Dancer, which traced his journey from a rural village in Communist China to the world’s leading ballet stages.

At the age of 11, he was selected by Madame Mao’s cultural advisers to attend the Beijing Dance Academy. He underwent rigorous training, enduring long hours and harsh conditions that tested his resilience and determination.

Despite the difficulties, Li’s exceptional talent and hard work allowed him to excel in the art of ballet. In 1979, Li was offered a scholarship to continue his dance studies at the Houston Ballet...