NGB's Landon Harris takes bronze at WBC

Landon Harris at the World Ballet Competition

Congratulations to NGB New Artist Landon Harris for winning the Bronze Medal in the pre-professional division at 2012 World Ballet Competition!

“Whenever I get on stage, whether it’s a show or a competition, I always think about it as a performance. So as long as I feel good about what I’ve done, the medal doesn’t matter. It’s a perk,” said Harris.

The competition was held May 29 - June 3 in Orlando.

Harris, 14, joined Next Generation Ballet early this spring. He recently received notice for his role as the jester in Swan Lake.

This summer, he’ll be filming a movie in New York before heading to London to train with the Royal Ballet.

Writer/director Anthony Giunta noticed Harris when he was in the touring production of Billy Elliot last year. Giunta called him and asked him to audition for his independent film Contest, about teen bullying.

“I’ve tried to give him different experiences because I knew he’d have to decide by the time he was 15 if dance was what he wanted to do,” said Harris’ mom Bev. “Why not try different things before you make that decision. That’s why we’re doing this film.”

However, since joining the Patel Conservatory’s full-time ballet program as an NGB New Artist, Harris says his goal is to be a principal dancer with a ballet company.

At the Conservatory, “It’s been amazing, I get a lot more hands-on attention since I’m there all day. Having different teachers, we get different aspects of training. It’s been a really positive experience,” said Harris.

Part of what he enjoys about the program is the opportunity to work in professional productions, such as Swan Lake.

“It’s a great experience to actually get on stage and do the shows that you’ll be doing as a professional. It helps prepare you for whatever’s coming up,” he said.