Lewis Llamas wins top prize in this year’s International Dance Festival

Lewis Llamas was selected as the overall winner from over 250 dancers in the 23rd Gibraltar International Dance Festival.

The Dance Festival, organised by M.O. Productions, was held at the John Mackintosh Hall Theatre between February 26 and March 1.

Some 259 dancers from England, Gibraltar, Italy and Spain participated throughout the ten sessions of the competition, with 15-year-old Lewis Llamas from Mediterranean Dance School the overall winner.

Of the 129 solo acts, Lewis and seven others, Jayce Caetano, Juliana Martin and Lyniah Marquez (Gibraltar); Caterina Bonetto (Italy); and Samuel Gallo Marquez, Carmencita Medel, and David Rotaru (Spain) were chosen as bursary finalists by adjudicator Karen Blackburn and performed at the grand final.

Organiser Alfred Rumbo said that M.O. Productions was “delighted to have been able to produce the International Festival for 2025 and delighted it has been going on now for over 20 years.”

“We are delighted by the support received from everyone who has taken part,” Mr Rumbo said.
“We are pleased with the high standards and quality of dance achieved and maintained throughout the festival and we look forward to our 24th edition in March 2026.”

The prize winners are as follows:

M.O. Productions Supreme Award and Overall Winner
Lewis Llamas, Mediterranean Dance School, Gibraltar

M.O Productions Best Female Dance of the Festival
Caterina Bonetto, GMA Dance Academy, Italy

M.O Productions Best Male Dancer of the Festival
Samuel Gallo Marquez, Innovations Dance Company, Spain

M.O. Productions Sussex Award
David Rotaru, Escuela De Danza Martina Tessaro, Spain

M.O. Productions Best Choreographer
Genyka Celecia, Mediterranean Dance School, Gibraltar

Lawrence Robles Award for the Most Promising Dancer
Juliana Martin, Mediterranean Dance School, Gibraltar

DSA Sequence Dance Award for best Duet
Aaron Beltran and Samuel Gallo Marquez, Innovations Dance Company, Spain