Concours Petipa
Regional rounds, final at Verneuil-sur-Seine · France
Usual dates (to be confirmed)Semi-finals in spring, final in early May
- Length
- 1 day per round
- Entry fee
- €60 in “Mon premier concours”, €70 in Loisirs and Études (classical, contemporary or jazz), €80 per duo (covers both dancers), €17 per dancer for groups
- Deadline
- One month before each competition date — places are limited
- Age reference
- Age on the day of the competition (day of the eliminations for duos and groups)
Age categories
- Préparatoire — 7–9 years old
- Élémentaire — 9–12 years old
- Intermédiaire A & B — 12–15 years old
- Avancé — 15–17 years old
- Supérieur — 17–26 years old
Levels
Recreational · Pre-competitive — Three tracks: “Mon premier concours” (classical only, pedagogical, flexible ages 7–14), “Loisirs” (1 to 4 classes a week, 6 classical levels) and “Études”, which the rulebook defines as pre-professional. The jury may move a dancer from Loisirs up to Études. Open from 7 to 27, from any structure — conservatoire, private school, association or independent. Brackets above: girls in classical; boys differ slightly.
Variations
- Set variation — In Mon premier concours and Loisirs — set variations provided on video on the website · 7–26 years old
- Free — In Études: the teacher's own choreography, max 2 min 30 · 7–26 years old
- Repertoire — In Études: repertoire variation, not simplified, max 2 min 30 · 7–26 years old
Three disciplines: classical, contemporary, jazz. Petipa's set variations may not be danced at any other competition; free variations are capped at 2 min 30. Duos: a pas de deux set by the teacher (2 to 3 min) or a repertoire pas de deux from age 13. Groups: level set by the average age, max 4 min. The 2027 set variations were created at the National Ballet School of Havana.
Masterclasses. Not published.
Jury. At least 3 members (one per discipline), holding the French teaching diploma or a documented professional career. 2027 chair: Dani Miguel Hernández Acosta, National Ballet of Cuba. 2026 chair: Jennifer Goubé, première danseuse of the Paris Opera Ballet.
What you can win. Marked out of 20 — technique, artistry, musicality, plus “physique” in Études. Per the published scale: unanimous First Prize, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes, accessits and encouragements.
Worth knowing. A good set-variation competition to cut your teeth on, with a strong jury and a genuine Cuban partnership. Public rounds, editions across Île-de-France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie and Belgium. And a rare genuine plus: scores and comments can be shared with the teacher after the competition. Age brackets from the 2026 rulebook (PDF).
Compare all 58 competitions in the interactive guide →
Built from official websites and published rulebooks, checked in September 2026. Nothing is guessed: where a date, a fee or a jury is not published, the guide says so rather than inventing one. Rules change from season to season — always check the competition's own site before entering.