Bene Stewart (17), of Logan Park High School, won the inaugural New Zealand School of Dance scholarship at the 2011 British Ballet Organisation concourse in Wellington last weekend.
The scholarship will mean he spends a week with professional dancers at the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington later this year.
"It will be a great opportunity to help build my technique," he said yesterday.
"And it will be a good chance to dance with other males."
Otago Girls' High School pupil Aimee Hodgkinson (14) won the senior repertoire and came second in the Alicia Markova Award.
Bene performed Siegfried's Solo from Swan Lake and Aimee Le Corsaire, from the ballet of the same name.
Art of Dance principal Glenys Scandrett said the scholarship was "a very big deal".
"If you want to make it as a dancer, this is a fantastic opportunity. He'll be put in classes with the company and get a good flavour of what it is to be a professional dancer," she said.
"The main thing, though, is just being seen there in that environment.
"Both Bene and Aimee have the potential to make it as professional dancers."
