Park Sae-eun wins best female dancer at Benois de la Danse

MOSCOW/SEOUL, June 6 (Yonhap) -- Park Sae-eun, a "premier danseur" of the Paris Opera Ballet, has won best female dancer at one of the ballet world's most prestigious awards.

The South Korean dancer picked up the award at the Benois de la Danse awards ceremony in Moscow on Tuesday (local time), beating five competitors from ballet companies all around the world.

She was recognized for her lead role in "Diamonds," which is part of the "Jewels" trilogy from choreographer George Balanchine.

"Thank you a lot for the prize," Park said in her acceptance speech. "I was very surprised. I didn't expect it at all."

The Benois de la Danse is one of the world's most authoritative ballet awards founded by the International Dance Association in Moscow in 1991 to honor distinguished French choreographer Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810).

Park is the fourth Korean to win a Benois de la Danse prize after Kang Sue-jin (1999), Kim Joo-won (2006) and Kim Ki-min (2016).

sshim@yna.co.kr
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